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The delightful Naan bread
Oh, delicious naan, king of all flat breads! I could revel in all the many ways I love this traditional Indian bread.
And of all the many varieties (plain, garlic, with cheese or meat filling), Peshwari is my favourite. It is sweet and fruity and in my eyes the perfect accompaniment to savoury curries as the sweetness of the filling helps to balance the heat of the dish.
Why not make this Naan bread in combination with my Butter Chicken recipe
Important to know about this recipe
While I give you the ingredients and instructions for a sweet Peshwari filling, you can of course substitute them with a savoury filling of your choice or simply leave them plain.
Let me take you on a journey to explore this delicious and versatile Bread from India and versatility find out what naan bread is, its history and how it is made.
What is Naan Bread?
Naan bread is a staple in Indian cuisine, but it has become popular all over the world for its delicious flavour and versatility.
It is typically made with a mixture of flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and yogurt or milk. The dough is then shaped into a flatbread and cooked in a tandoor oven, which gives it its signature soft, fluffy texture and slightly charred exterior.
History of Naan Bread
Naan bread has been a staple in India for thousands of years, with evidence of its existence dating back to the Mughal Empire in the 16th century.
The bread was traditionally made in tandoor ovens and served as an accompaniment to rich and flavourful dishes like curries.
Today, naan bread is enjoyed all over the world and can be found in a variety of forms, including stuffed naan, garlic naan, and even sweet naan like this Peshwari Naan recipe.
How to make Naan Bread at home
Making naan bread at home can be a bit of a challenge, as it traditionally requires a tandoor oven (a clay oven that is heated to very high temperatures), which I doubt many of us have in their homes.
However, it can be made in a regular oven or on a griddle. Or maybe you even have a pizza stone* at home, then your Naan might turn out even better.
(*affiliate link)
As you can see, I could go on for hours, but we’re here to bake naan, right? So let’s get our aprons, I’ll see you in the kitchen. While you are still here though, please let me know in the comments what your favourite naan filling is.
<i>xoxo Rena</i>
Peshwari Naan - filled Indian bread
This naan is sweet and fruity and the perfect accompaniment to spicy curries. You can also make it plain or opt for a savoury filling.
Fact Sheet
Category: side / bread Cuisine: Indian Dairy free Vegetarian Sides Baking Cooking Method: Baking Diet: Vegetarian Preparation Time: 120 minutes Total Time: 150 minutes Servings: 6Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 350g bread flour (type 550)
- 150g plain yogurt
- 150ml lukewarm water
- 1 packet / 7g dried yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- butter
- chopped cilantro as garnish *optional*
- For the sweet Peshwari filling:
- 25g almonds or pistachios
- 25g desiccated coconut
- 25g raisins
Instructions
- Preparation
- Start by mixing flour, yeast and salt in a bowl, then stir in the yogurt and water to produce a soft dough.
- Knead it for a few minutes until smooth and elastic (you might want to flour the surface).
- Then, lightly oil a bowl and place the dough in it to rise to twice its size (approx. 2 hours, don’t forget to cover your bowl).
- In the meantime: blend the ingredients for the filling until they are a coarse paste.
- Preheat oven WITH a baking tray to 220 degrees.
- Method for making the Naan:
- Once the dough has risen, divide it in six pieces and roll them out to an approx. hand size circle.
- lace the filling (about three tsp per dough piece) in the centre of each and fold the edges over. Crimp well, so the filing doesn’t spill out, then gently roll the dough ball in your hand.
- Now very gently flatten them with your rolling pin until your dough piece is about 1cm or 1/2“ high.
- Get your hot baking tray out of the oven and quickly place all your dough piece on it - you don’t need any oil or baking paper, the dough needs to lay on the hot surface to emulate the traditional baking method in the Tandoor oven.
- Put your tray back in your oven at 220°C / 425°F for about ten minutes without opening the door or turning the bread
- Your delicious naan is done when it is puffed up and lightly browned (darker in some places).
- Remove from oven and coat with melted butter and some chopped cilantro.
