Homestyle Indian Naan
Ingredients
To make the dough:
Ingredients
- 8 oz (1 cup) lukewarm water (about 100°F)
- 1 tsp. instant or active dry yeast
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) milk
- 16 oz. (about 3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more or less as needed
- 2 tsp. coarse salt
- Vegetable oil for the bowl
- 3 to 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
- Cornmeal or flour for dusting the peel
- 1 tsp. nigella (black onion) seeds or 1 Tbs. sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)
To make the dough:
- Warm the water and the milk in a small saucepan to lukewarm, about 100°F. Pour into a large bowl.
- Mix flour, salt and yeast.
- Mix in the flour and mix just until a dough forms. Rest for ten minutes. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until it's smooth, 4 to 5 minutes, incorporating only enough flour (by keeping the work surface dusted) to prevent the dough from sticking; the dough should be quite soft and not tight.
- Put the dough in a covered bowl or bag, and let it rise in a cool place for 8 hours or overnight. If you're not ready to bake yet, punch down the dough, put it in a plastic bag, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
- To shape and bake: Preheat oven with a large baking stone (or steel) to 500°F.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into five equal pieces. Shape each one into a ball by rolling the dough on the counter or by using both hands to turn it, round it, and smooth it. Put the balls to the side or back of the counter (flour the surface), and brush each with melted butter. Cover with plastic and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Put one risen ball of dough on floured work surface and push it out with your fingertips to a 6- or 7-inch round; don't turn it over. Set it aside; repeat with a second risen ball.
- Return to the first piece, pushing it out to a rough 9x7-inch oval; you might try stretching it by draping it over the back of your hands and pulling gently. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
- Place oval on a peel lightly dusted with corn meal or rice flour.. Sprinkle on seeds, if using. Transfer the flatbread to the baking stone in the oven.
- Bake the breads until their rippled tops have light golden spots and the bottoms are golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Remove them with a peel or long-handled spatula, transfer to a rack to cool for about 5 minutes, and brush with more melted butter, if you like. Wrap them in a cotton cloth to keep them soft and warm. Repeat the shaping and baking process with the remaining balls of dough.