Restaurant Style Naan Bread

Until recently, I’ve been a little apprehensive of making Restaurant Style Naan bread. I mean, how can one even come to close to duplicating this soft and puffy semi-flat bread typically made in a tandoor (or clay) oven? Last I checked, my kitchen (and most kitchens) only come with a convection if you’re lucky. However, after investing in a bunch of Indian spices and working on some Dal recipes, I figured Naan was the next thing I needed to try my hand at, and I’m so glad I did! Now, I have this AMAZING restaurant style naan bread that my whole family can eat since its dairy-free. 

There are a few steps involved in the beginning of the recipe but not much different from making homemade bread or pizza dough. Just make sure you give yourself a bit of time to allow the dough to rise and then the rest goes by rather quickly.

Sprinkle in your yeast packet in warm water and allow to sit approximately 10 minutes. It should start to foam and look like the photo below. If you don’t have any foam action happening, then I’d try again with another packet because you don’t want to waste your ingredients on bread that won’t rise.

Combine your dry ingredients with the yeast mix and add in your coconut yogurt. Stir it all together until a ball starts to form and the dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl. Drizzle some olive oil in the bowl and roll the dough ball around to coat it. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and let sit until it has doubled in size. Punch down 1 more time and on a floured board, pull apart and make 8 equal size balls. Cover and let sit another 20 minutes.

I know it may seem like a lot of time being spent waiting for the dough to do its thing, but it really goes by quickly. I’m usually prepping for the rest of dinner while this is all happening. Making my rice, pressing than sautéing the tofu, preheating the oven and getting the sauce ready.

Once that’s all done and the dough is ready, just flatten it out into an oval shape and bake 2-3 minutes on a preheated pizza stone (if you have it, otherwise, a regular sheet will be just fine). If you want that charred taste, put it under the broiler for a minute right before serving.

Voila! Puffy Naan Bread, just like you’d get at a restaurant.

We love to pair our Naan with jasmine rice & tofu tikka or Madras Curry which a simmer sauce you can buy pre-made. Simply add your tofu or veggies and it’s a pretty simple and amazing meal.

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Puffy Naan Bread

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Fresh, warm & puffy Naan bread made with the simplest (dairy free & egg free) ingredients.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 C. warm water
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tb. (1 packet) dry active yeast
• 4 C. bread flour (or unbleached white flour)
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 C. coconut oil
• 3/4 C. plain coconut yogurt
• 2 TB. olive oil

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Set aside until frothy (10 min)
2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together dry ingredients such as flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Mix 3 1/2 C. of the flour mixture to the yeast water. Also add in coconut oil and yogurt. Mix well then add in remaining flour a little at a time.
4. Knead into a soft, smooth ball.
5. Keeping the dough in the large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and roll ball to make sure it is well oiled. Cover bowl with towel or wrap and let sit until it doubles in size (1-2 hrs).
6. Punch dough down then knead 1 more time. Divide into 8 equal size balls and lightly roll in flour. Place on a parchment paper and cover again with towel. Let sit 20 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 450. Place pizza stone inside and heat entire 20 minutes while dough balls are sitting.
8. Working with light hands, shape each ball into 8" oval. Lightly brush with oil. Repeat with remaining dough.
9. Place naan on stone and bake 2-3 minutes or until golden. Broil at end if wanting charred crust.