Bread without oven, how to make homemade Indian naan bread

Total: 20 min Diners: 8

Baking bread is one of those activities that with the quarantine and the state of alarm is keeping us entertained between baking and fermenting and this has served for more than one to realize that there is much craft and tenacity in terms of dough is concerned. It is a truth as a temple that the frustration of the beginner home baker is usually quite large until you get to master certain concepts and achieve really tasty breads and that is why this naan bread is a wonderful option for those who are starting.

Ingredients

Without Sourdough:

375 g (if you don’t have flour, then normal flour, not pastry flour) Water, 150 g Fresh cream or creme fraiche, 100 g (or whole milk) Salt, 6 g Dry baker’s yeast, 3 g Melted butter or ghee, 4 tablespoons Chopped garlic, grated cheese or spices, optional Oil to grease the bowls in which we let the dough rest

With sourdough:

Wheat flour, 325 g Sourdough, 100 g (*) Water, 100 g Fresh cream or creme fraiche, 100 g (or whole milk) Salt, 6 g Dry baker’s yeast, 2 g Melted butter or ghee, 4 tablespoons Chopped garlic, grated cheese or spices, optional Oil to grease the bowls in which we let the dough rest

(*) If you want to prepare the version with sourdough but you are too lazy to make your own, you can use this one from Molino de Alcuneza.

This bread without oven you can make it with and without sourdough, it does not involve complicated or very long fermentations, we do it in the pan avoiding to turn on the oven and, in addition, it is delicious. The naan is a type of Indian bread that always appears next to their curries and whose main feature is to cook attached to the walls of the tandoori ovens, at high temperatures, something that at home we get more than decently with a good hot pan.

The rest of the work will only involve a thorough kneading and the delicacy of stretching the bread and put it on the griddle. It can then be brushed with crushed garlic, spices can be added on top or we can also opt for the option with cheese: stretch the bread, put grated cheese, make a handkerchief-like ball and stretch it again.

Step 1

Mix all the bread ingredients and knead well, thoroughly. The wheat flour can be replaced with a little whole wheat flour, which would be even more traditional as they do it there. Start the kneading in the bowl and then take it to the kitchen table and continue. It has to be a dough that does not stick to your hands, quite manageable.

Step 2

Make a ball and put it in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment in a warm place away from drafts. It will take about 3 hours to double in volume but this will depend on the conditions of each house, it is best to go observing the dough.

Step 3

Pour the dough on a greased surface with a little oil, cut into 8 portions and make 8 small balls. Let stand covered with plastic wrap for 45 minutes.

Step 4

Heat a frying pan, preferably an iron one, over very high heat. Roll out each ball into a sheet about 3mm thick and place on the griddle, without oil or anything else. Brown on both sides for a few seconds.

Step 5

Paint off the heat on both sides with ghee or melted butter.

Tricks and Tips

To keep it well it is recommended to leave it between a covered cloth, taking care that this cloth does not emanate odors of soap or fabric softener or other things. It can be made in advance, although it is not so tasty obviously, and then give it a heat hit in the toaster or again by the griddle.

The naan bread can also be used to make wraps or sandwiches, as it is elastic and very juicy and is perfect with anything inside.

The sourdough option has almost identical results as the option without it, in this recipe we have used the one from Molino de Alcuneza, which gives us all the sweet flavor of the spelt and the years during which they have worked with it. For me a luxurious contribution that elevates the bread a point beyond but it is also true that if your sourdough is very acidic I recommend you not to use it for this bread and above all I encourage you to prepare it even if you do not have it, because it is very easy to make and the results are delicious.