Soft, pillowy leavened flatbread baked in a blazing-hot tandoor clay oven until puffed and lightly charred, with a chewy interior and slightly crispy exterior. The essential accompaniment to nearly every Pakistani meal.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Instructions
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1
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add yogurt, oil, and warm water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for ten minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
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2
Punch down the risen dough and divide into four equal portions. Roll each portion into an oval or teardrop shape about a quarter-inch thick. Sprinkle with nigella seeds and press them gently into the surface.
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3
If using a tandoor, wet one side of the shaped naan with water and slap it onto the hot inner wall of the tandoor. If using an oven, preheat to the maximum temperature with a baking stone or inverted sheet pan inside.
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4
Bake for two to three minutes until the naan puffs up dramatically and develops charred spots on the surface. The bread should be golden with dark blistered patches.
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5
Remove from the tandoor or oven and immediately brush with butter. Stack the naan and wrap in a clean cloth to keep them soft and warm. Serve within minutes for the best texture.
Did You Know?
In Pakistani cities, tandoor naan shops (called nanbai or tandoorwala) are found on virtually every street. Many families do not bake bread at home at all, instead sending their children to buy fresh naan from the neighborhood tandoor multiple times a day.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- tandoor or very hot oven
- mixing bowl
- rolling pin
The Story Behind Naan
Naan traces its etymology to the Persian word for bread. The tandoor oven cooking technique traveled from Central Asia through Persia into the Indian subcontinent, becoming deeply embedded in the food culture of what is now Pakistan. The tandoor naan tradition is especially strong in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions. Professional nanbais (bread bakers) undergo years of apprenticeship to master the art of slapping the dough onto the scorching walls of the tandoor, a skill that requires precise timing and technique.
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