This
bread is essential to Indian meals. The light and chewy bread
has a tear drop shape from cooking on the side of a tandoor
oven. At home, grilling naan outdoors will give it an authentic
flavor. Black caraway seeds are also found under the names:
onion seeds, Nigella, Charnushka or kalonji.
Mint Sauce
1 cup peeled European cucumber slices (approx ½
cucumber)
1 cup
whole milk plain yogurt
2
teaspoons lemon juice
3
tablespoons chopped mint
1 cup
whole milk plain yogurt
½
teaspoon dried dill weed
1
teaspoon ground coriander seeds
¼
teaspoon garlic salt
½
teaspoon garam masala
½
teaspoon dried tarragon
Naan Bread
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
2
teaspoons granulated sugar
2 ½
cups water, warmed to 110
°
2
tablespoons canola oil
1 cup
fat-free plain yogurt
5 cups
all-purpose flour
1 cup
whole-wheat flour
2
teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Flour
for kneading
Black
caraway seeds
1.
Mint Sauce: In
a blender, process the cucumber, first cup of
yogurt,
lemon juice and mint. Pour into a bowl and stir in the
second
1 cup yogurt, dill weed, coriander, garlic salt, garam
masala
and tarragon. Refrigerate until serving time.
2. Naan:
In an extra large bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, warm
water,
oil and yogurt.
3. With hands, add
all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking
powder
and salt to make a soft dough which is almost too
sticky
to handle.
4. Turn oven on to
200
°, when you can feel the heat,
turn the
oven
off. Cover the dough and let it rise in the warm oven
until
double, about 1 hour.
5. Flour your hands
well and set extra flour nearby. The dough
is
workable with a lot of flour. Divide the dough into 6 pieces.
Take
each piece of dough and set it on well-floured board.
Top
with more flour. Roll and then lift dough to naturally
stretch
it out. Pull and stretch until you have a piece of
oblong
dough that somewhat resembles a rough teardrop.
The
dough should be quite thin. Place on a nonstick baking
sheet
which has been oiled.
6. Brush with
"ghee" or melted butter, sprinkle with seeds.
7. Broil in the
oven for a few minutes. Watch carefully or it will
burn.
Some brown spotted areas are normal and desirable.
8. Serve warm bread
with small bowls of sauce for dipping.
Hint:
Top bread with garlic and ghee if preferred.
Makes
6 servings
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