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Naan dough contains yogurt and sometimes egg, which makes it softer and richer than most flatbreads — leavened with yeast or baking powder, slapped against the inside wall of a tandoor oven at 400-480°C, and pulled off in 90 seconds with a char on one side and a soft, slightly chewy interior. The word naan is Persian for 'bread,' and the bread itself came to the Indian subcontinent with the Mughal Empire, where it was court bread, baked by professional naan-bakers (naan-bai) in the palace kitchens. Restaurant naan outside of India is often cooked in a flat electric oven or a gas broiler, which makes a reasonable substitute but lacks the sudden scorching heat that creates the blistered, leopard-spotted surface of the tandoor version. Garlic naan, butter naan, and stuffed keema naan are the popular restaurant variants; the plain version remains the most technically honest.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add the yogurt and vegetable oil, and mix well.
Gradually add the warm milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm place for at least 1 hour.
After the dough has rested, divide it into 6-8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into an oval or tear-drop shape, about 1/4 inch thick.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot.
Place a rolled-out dough onto the hot skillet.
Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.
Flip the naan and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the other side is golden brown and cooked through.
If desired, brush the naan with melted butter and sprinkle with minced garlic, chopped cilantro, or nigella seeds immediately after cooking.
Serve the naan hot, straight from the skillet, as a side dish with curries, stews, or grilled meats.
Leavened yogurt-enriched flatbread cooked in a tandoor clay oven; North Indian bread; blisters in 90 seconds at very high heat.
Mughal Empire; Persian word for bread; Mughal court bread spread through North India.
All-purpose flour, yogurt, yeast or baking powder, salt, butter or ghee; garlic and cilantro for garlic naan.
Get the pan or griddle extremely hot before adding the naan — high heat creates the blisters; finish under a broiler if using a stovetop.
Any North Indian curry (dal makhani, butter chicken, palak paneer), kebabs, or used to scoop hummus at fusion tables.