*crispy waffle*

Yay, with this post, I'm participating for the first time in WTSIM food blogging event. The theme is Waiter, there's something in my... bread! and it's hosted by Spittoon.

This is the naan recipe to serve with butter chicken. I've tried buying the ready-made stuff at the Asian grocery store, but am generally not that excited about it. (A lot of the time, it just ends up resembling really doughy pita bread.) It is nothing like the crispy/chewy/a-bit-greasy naan that you get at the hole-in-the-wall. So I decided to make my own. Granted, this isn't really naan, which is prepared in a tandoori oven when it's the real deal, but it comes at least a bit closer than those packages at the grocery store. I've tried recipes from Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford (one of my favorite food writing teams-- Hot Sour Salty Sweet is still one of the best cookbooks out there, in my opinion), but they somehow seemed too involved, and seem to require huge amounts of bread-baking flour-- something I don't always have on hand. I found the go-to recipe in Joy of Cooking of all places (the 1997 edition, not the new one). It is easy, quick if you use a stand mixer, and it basically rises while you make the rest of dinner.

A bit like naan
Makes 4 12-inch pieces of naan

Ingredients
2 cups bread flour (I usually just substitute all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (the same type of yeast I use for waffles)
3/4 cups whole milk yogurt, at room temperature (if I'm in a hurry, I heat cold yogurt in the microwave for 10 seconds or so, then stir it so it's room temperature)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons water

Combine the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir until well-combined.
Add the yogurt and cooking oil. Using the dough hook at medium-low speed, gradually add the water. Knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes until the dough looks nice and elastic. Form into a bowl, transfer into a large, oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with cling wrap and let rise for 1-1/2 hours.
Preheat oven with baking sheet in it, at 475 degrees F. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 balls. Roll in a bit of flour and let stand, covered with cling wrap, for 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough into pieces about 12-14 inches in length and about 6 inches in width. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 6 minutes until light golden and puffy in areas. Remove to a cloth lined dish.

Links:
Crispy waffle: Butter chicken curry recipe

Labels: recipes, the savory and salty

posted by sheryl | 11:04 AM |

very interesting, something I've never even thought of making. Thanks for taking part.
By

Andrew 4/21/07 1:15 PM

I just found your site today, by looking for a new Bread recipe,so I have to stop here and thank you for a wonderful site :-)
By

chanit 4/21/07 4:21 PM

Ooo, naan!! (coming over from WTSIM..) I am excited to try this at home. Can you believe there are a few places here that charge 2 euro for a tiny cheese naan?
By

Ms Adventures in Italy 4/27/07 9:49 AM

what an interesting recipe, and the photos so thrilling! I have to try it.
By

Helene 4/27/07 2:50 PM