1/2 cup warm water
1/4 oz active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
some oil for greasing the skillet
3 tablespoons melted butter or ghee
Activate Yeast. In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Making Naan Dough. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt, salt, and oil, and knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (for example: beside the stove top or warm oven). The dough should double in size in about 1 hour. Rolling Naan. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough to an 8” (20 cm) circle using a rolling pin. Cooking Naan. Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) over high heat and lightly grease the surface with some oil to avoid the dough from sticking to the skillet. Place the dough on the skillet. When it puffs up and bubbles, and burnt spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat the same until all the dough is done. Brush with melted butter, and serve warm. Serving Naan. Brush the naan with melted butter or ghee, then sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes The dough is sensitive to climate and temperature variations. If your naan dough is sticky, add 2 more tablespoons of flour to bind the dough. Likewise, in dry climates, you may need to add more water to the dough to prevent it from drying out too quickly. Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, or use a stand mixer to speed up the process. Then, let it rest until it doubles in size. Please take note that in warmer climates, naan dough may rise faster due to more active yeast, while in cooler climates, it may take longer to rise. Make sure to use a very hot skillet to cook the flatbread. The high heat puffs up the bread for that iconic airy appearance. It’s done when burnt brown “blisters” or spots appear (see photo above). In hotter climates or kitchens, it may cook faster due to higher temperature, leading to quicker browning and potential charring. Brush the fresh-off-the-skillet bread with some melted salted butter or ghee, and top them with fresh cilantro.