I’ve been let down by so many bold statements promising soft, fluffy naan bread with great chew, just like you get at real Indian restaurants. Either the dough never rose in time, or it didn’t get cooked in the oven long enough, or the pot wasn’t hot enough… you name it, I’ve tried it. But I refuse to give up! So here’s my recipe for fluffy and chewy naan, adapted from a recipe that produced better results than most others I’ve tried and not requiring any special ingredients or equipment.
The quest for good naan
Naan is one of my favorite foods. I don’t care if it’s soft, fluffy naan or crispy naan, but the best naans are always chewy and have a real chew to them. After years of being let down by so many bold statements promising soft, fluffy naan bread with great chew, just like you get at real Indian restaurants, I finally found a recipe that delivers all the qualities I was looking for. Here’s how you can make fluffy and chewy naan at home: -Proof yeast in 1/4 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar for 5 minutes. -Add dry ingredients to the yeast mixture and mix well. Add 3 cups whole wheat flour while mixing on low speed until dough forms.
What makes naan fluffy and chewy?
Naan is a type of oven-baked flatbread from India. Traditionally, naan is made from white flour, yeast, yogurt, ghee or oil, salt, and water. Some recipes may also call for baking soda or baking powder as leavening agents. The dough is rolled into balls before being quickly deep-fried in oil on both sides until puffed up with the perfect amount of golden-brown spots. Then they are allowed to cool before being brushed with melted butter and baked in an oven.
The perfect recipe for soft, fluffy, and chewy naan
One of my favorite things about Indian food is the naan bread. It’s so delicious, chewy, and perfect with any curry dish. Unfortunately, you can’t get good naan bread just anywhere. I’m always disappointed when a restaurant brings out this disappointing, doughy bread instead of the naan I know from home. That was until I discovered this recipe that would rival anything in an Indian restaurant. The only problem? It requires yeast, which scares many people away. Fear not! The yeast does all the work for you – it will rise to form beautiful bubbles that are just waiting to be brushed with butter before baking for crispy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside perfection (I’ll let you decide if it rivals the best Indian restaurants).
Tips for making the perfect naan
I’m going to show you how to make some fluffy, chewy naan bread, just like the kind you get in Indian restaurants. First, mix together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Then mix together 1 cup warm water (around 100 degrees F), 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons honey until combined. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir together until dough forms. If it’s too sticky, add more flour – but be careful not to add too much or your naans will be dense instead of light and fluffy.
Enjoy meal
I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve eaten a lot of subpar naan bread, or because I haven’t been cooking Indian food much lately, but the perfection that is naan bread has become a little boring. This recipe is my go-to for fluffy and chewy naan with just enough flavor to hit the spot without being too heavy. The best part about this recipe? It’s easy to make in the oven so you don’t have to wait for hours before having your meal!
