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Freshly baked small batch garlic naan bread is buttery, garlicky, soft and pillowy, and full of perfect blistered air pockets. It's quick and easy to make. | aheadofthyme.com

Small Batch Garlic Naan Bread


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
  • Total Time: 2 hours 8 minutes
  • Yield: 10 naan bread
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Freshly baked small batch garlic naan bread is buttery, garlicky, soft and pillowy, and full of perfect blistered air pockets. It's quick and easy to make.


Ingredients

  • 375 grams all purpose flour (2 + 1/2 cups)
  • 4 grams instant yeast (1 teaspoon)
  • 200 grams water (3/4 cup)
  • 75 grams plain yogurt (1/4 cup)
  • 15 grams vegetable oil
  • 6 grams sugar (1/2 tablespoon)
  • 3 grams salt (1/2 teaspoon)

For the garlic topping:

  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped 

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, yeast, water, yogurt, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir well to combine with a spatula until the mixture forms into a shaggy dough. Make sure to scrape off any remaining dry flour from the sides of the bowl.
  2. Apply some water on your hands and stretch and fold the dough by folding the edges over to the centre. Wet hands makes it easier to work with the dough and it should take you less than a minute to fold all 4 sides. Because this dough contains high percentage fat (yogurt and oil) and high hydration (water to flour ratio), it is quite sticky and impossible to knead by hand in the beginning. Cover the bowl in cling wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Knead the dough using your hands. Because the dough has built up some gluten by resting, it should take you less than 5 minutes to form a smooth and soft dough ball this time. Transfer the smooth dough ball back in the bowl and let it rest covered for 1 hour until it is almost doubles in size.
  4. Transfer dough onto a lightly oiled surface and roll into a log. Divide the log into 10 even balls by cupping them in your palm and making circular motions.
  5. Transfer the dough balls to a lined baked tray and cover with plastic cling wrap to prevent them from drying out. Allow the dough balls to rest for 20 minutes.

Prepare the Garlic Butter:

  1. Combine melted butter, minced garlic and chopped parsley in a small bowl and mix them evenly. Set aside.

Make the Naan Bread:

  1. Take a dough ball and gently press and stretch it with your fingers to form a circular shape, similar to shaping pizza dough. You can also roll the dough out with a rolling pin but make sure the rolled dough is a bit smaller than the size of the skillet. Applying some oil to your hands and the rolling pin will help prevent the dough from sticking.
  2. To make the naan bread, you can either cook on a skillet or bake in the oven:
    1. To make naan bread on a skillet: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the rolled naan onto the hot skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. You should see the naan bread rise and form bubbles on top.
    2. To bake naan bread in the oven: Preheat a large baking pan or pizza stone in the oven at 500 F. Place rolled naan on the pizza stone and bake for 2-3 minutes. You should see the naan bread rise and form bubbles on top To char the naan bread and make it extra crispy, turn the broiler on high and cook for an extra minute. Keep a close eye on it though, as the broiler gets very hot and can burn if left in too long.
  3. Apply the garlic butter on one side of the naan bread with a brush. Repeat steps above with the rest of the dough balls.
  4. Serve hot with a side of butter chicken or Indian curry.

Notes

Equipment used: mixing bowls, baking tray, rolling pin (if rolling out the naan), and a skillet (if cooking on the stovetop vs the oven). I also highly recommend a kitchen scale to get the most accurate measurements when measuring out your ingredients.

How to serve garlic naan bread: My favourite way to serve naan bread is alongside Indian butter chicken or vegan chickpea coconut curry. You can also use it as a flatbread and top with all sorts of toppings. Try it with a greek salad hummus flatbread, mushroom and spinach flatbread or an apple and arugula flatbread.

How to store naan bread: Store cooled naan bread in a sealed ziploc bag at for up to 3 days at room temperature. You can also freeze them in a sealed ziploc bag for up to 3 months. When freezing multiple naan breads, layer them with a piece of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.

How to reheat naan bread: If frozen, allow it to thaw first to room temperature. Then, reheat in the air fryer at 350 F for 5-7 minutes, or in a 350 F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes (+1 hour 50 minutes rest time)
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian