Naan
Soft, fluffy yeasted flatbread with a bubbly, blistered crust from cooking in a screaming-hot skillet. Perfect for scooping up curry, or eating warm and plain straight off the pan.
- 1 teaspoon instant / rapid rise yeast
- 1/2 cup warm tap water (about 105°F)
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk, full fat
- 1 1/2 tablespoons whisked egg, at room temperature (about 1/2 an egg)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, cooking / kosher
- 1 3/4 cups bread flour, or all-purpose/plain
- 30g / 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter, melted
- Finishes
- 30g / 2 tablespoons ghee or butter, melted
- 1 small garlic clove, for Garlic Butter option
- Nigella seeds
- Coriander/cilantro, finely chopped
- Cheese Naan
- Shredded cheese (for cheese naan) — Monterey Jack, cheddar, tasty, colby, or anything that melts
- Bloom the yeast: mix the yeast with the warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy — this confirms the yeast is active before it goes into the dough.
- Whisk the milk and egg together in a separate small bowl. In another bowl, sift the flour and salt together.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, the melted ghee or butter, and the egg-milk mixture. Mix together with a spatula until the flour is mostly incorporated, then switch to your hands and bring the dough together into a ball — no kneading is needed here.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, until it has doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by stretching the surface and tucking it underneath.
- Place the balls on a lightly floured tray, sprinkle lightly with more flour, and cover loosely with a tea towel. Let them rise in a warm place for 15 minutes, until they've grown by about half their size.
- Working with one ball at a time, flatten it on a lightly floured surface with your hand, then roll it out into a round about 3 to 4mm thick and roughly 6.5 inches wide.
- Rub a cast iron skillet with a very light coat of oil and set it over high heat until you see wisps of smoke. Place a rolled naan in the skillet and cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and slightly charred with visible bubbles. Flip and cook the other side for about 1 minute, until the bubbles turn deep golden brown.
- Remove the cooked naan and repeat with the remaining dough, adjusting the heat as needed so the skillet doesn't get too hot between batches.
- Brush each freshly cooked naan with melted butter or ghee (plain or garlic-infused), sprinkle with nigella seeds and chopped coriander, and serve hot.
Chef's Note: Blooming the instant yeast in warm water first, rather than mixing it straight into the flour, is an extra step that genuinely pays off here — it produces a noticeably softer, fluffier naan than skipping straight to the dough. A screaming-hot, well-oiled cast iron skillet is non-negotiable for getting those signature charred bubbles; a lukewarm pan will give you a pale, dense flatbread instead.
This dough is genuinely great to make ahead — after the first rise, the whole bowl can go straight into the fridge overnight without punching it down, and the flavor actually improves. Just be sure to let it come fully back to room temperature before shaping and cooking, or the second rise won't happen properly.
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