Naan bread

Ingredients (makes 4-6 naans)

• 200 g plain flour (alternatively: use self-raising flour)
• 1 tsp sugar (can be omitted if you use self-raising flour)
• 1 tsp fresh yeast (can be omitted if you use self-raising flour)
• 150 ml warm water
• 1 tbsp ghee (note: use vegetable oil or butter if you prefer vegetarian)
• 1 tsp salt
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

For some variations, try adding (see tips below):

• a few garlic cloves, crushed (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 tsp coriander leaves, fresh (chopped) or dried
• 25 g sultanas
• some sugar

Preparation

1. If you use plain flour: Mix the sugar and yeast with the warm water and rest for about 10 minutes. (Can be omitted if you use self-raising flour).
2. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and add the yeast mixture (for plain flour) or the water (for self-raising flour). Add the ghee (or oil/butter) and salt and mix well. Add some extra water or flour as required. Tip: for a nice variation, add garlic, finely chopped coriander leaves, and sultanas to the dough.
3. Knead for about 5 minutes on a smooth working surface until you have a smooth dough.
4. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 1-1.5 hours in a warm place.
5. To finish off the bread, begin by preheating the oven grill for some 10 minutes until it is red hot.
6. Knead the dough for another 2 minutes and either divide into 4-6 equal portions, or keep in one piece. In any case, roll out to a thickness of about 1 cm (0.5 in).
7. Place the dough on a suitable greased oven plate and grill for 7-10 minutes, turning once or twice. Each time, brush the surface of the bread with some butter and sprinkle some poppy seeds over the bread. Tip: you can also sprinkle some sugar in addition to, or instead of, the poppy seeds.
8. Serve warm.

	Copyright © 1999-2000 Anne-Wil Harzing and Ron van der Wal. All rights reserved. Legal notices and colophon. This page was last modified on 16-05-04 16:19