Easy Vegan Naan Indian Flatbread Food

NAAN (INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees). Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place 4 1/2 cups flour, the salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a dough blade or in mixer with a dough hook. Mix to blend. Add yeast mixture, milk, yogurt, egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 3/4 cup warm water. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes in a processor, 5 to 8 minutes in a mixer, 8 to 10 minutes by hand. Dough should be soft but not too sticky. Add flour as needed.
• Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll them into balls, place them on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes.
• If using a tandoor, heat it to about 450 degrees. If using the oven, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack and heat oven to 450 degrees. If using a barbecue grill, set it up for direct grilling and heat to medium-high.
• Roll out a dough ball on a lightly floured work surface into a disk about 6 inches in diameter. Roll and stretch one end to make a teardrop shape. Brush off any excess flour. Repeat with remaining dough.
• If using a tandoor, drape one piece of dough over the round cloth pillow called a gadhi. Press the bread onto the hot clay wall. Cook the naan until the top is puffed, blistered and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a skewer, gently pry the bread off the tandoor wall, taking care not to scratch the clay. Brush the top of the bread with ghee or melted butter, then place in a cloth-lined basket for serving. Repeat with remaining dough.
• If using an oven, turn on the broiler. Lay 1 or 2 pieces of dough on the pizza stone. Cook until the bottoms are browned and the tops blister, puff and are lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven, brush tops with ghee or melted butter, and place in a cloth-lined basket for serving. Repeat with remaining dough.
• If using the grill, brush and oil the grate. Lightly brush top of dough with butter and place butter-side down on grate a few at a time (do not crowd the grate). Grill until the bottoms are browned and the tops start to puff and blister, 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly brush the tops with a little butter. Invert bread, and grill the other side until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cloth-lined basket, brushing tops of each with any remaining butter.

NAAN (INDIAN FLAT BREAD)

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a nice sized bowl.
• Stir in the beaten egg, yogurt and 2 tablespoons of the butter/ghee.
• Gradually stir in enough milk to make a soft dough.
• Knead dough very well.
• Lightly grease bowl and cover the dough with a damp cloth and place in a warm place for 2 hours.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Knead dough on a floured surface for 2 or 3 minutes until smooth.
• Divide into 8 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a ball, and then into ovals about 6 to 8 inches long.
• Grease a baking sheet with oil and brush both the sides of the rolled out Naan with oil.
• Sprinkle one side with poppy seeds if you wish to use them.
• Place the Naan on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 6 to 10 minutes until puffy and lightly golden brown.
• The bread puffs slightly, and will lightly brown on the sides.
• You can enjoy these Naan's plain or with your favorite Indian dish, such as a curry dish!

EASY VEGAN NAAN (INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Add the warm water (not hot), yeast and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Give it it a stir and let sit for about ten minutes to proof. The yeast should rise to the top and become frothy. (If this does not happen it means you water wasn't hot enough or your yeast is expired and you will have to start again).
• While the yeast is proofing add the dry ingredients and fresh herbs to a medium bowl, stir to combine and set aside.
• When yeast is ready add in the oil and yoghurt and whisk together. Next add dry ingredients and stir until combined, ( I usually use a wooden spoon).
• Sprinkle a little flour on your counter and turn out the dough. Kneed for a minute. Form the dough into a ball.
• Lightly grease the large mixing bowl you just used and add the dough ball. Add a little oil to the top of the dough and spread it around the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or so until roughly doubled in size (depends on how warm your house is). It usually takes 1 and 1/2 hours for my dough.
• mix garlic butter ingredients together in a small bowl and cook in the microwave for 45-60 seconds. (you don't want the garlic raw).
• Lightly flour your countertop. Turn out the dough and form it into a disk. Divide the disk into roughly six or eight equal portions and form into balls (at this point you can freeze dough individually in plastic wrap or refrigerate for up to 3 days for later use). Set on counter top until ready to cook.
• Heat your cast iron pan or a non stick pan to medium heat and brush very lightly with oil (make sure pan is good and hot). Roll out one ball at a time as you cook them, (round, oval shapes, approximately 1/4 of an inch thick or thinner). If dough springs back a little as you are rolling it , that's ok just keep rolling, it'll get there. If dough is sticking to your rolling pin, sprinkle very lightly with more flour if needed as you go.
• Place dough in the pan and cook until air pockets form on top of dough and the underneath is getting brown. Flip and cook and additional one to two minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. I usually add a little more oil to the pan after the third Naan bread has been cooked. (for step by step photos refer to the post above)
• Brush with melted vegan garlic butter ( if using) and serve with your favourite Indian curries, soups, dips or make a wrap or some personal pizzas!

GLUTEN-FREE NAAN

Steps:

• Watch the video in the post for easy visual instructions.Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium-sized bowl, and stir to combine.
• Pour in warm water, yogurt, olive oil, and Aquafaba. Stir with a spoon, then use your hands to knead the dough. It should be a soft and pliable dough, not too dry but not sticky either.
• Divide the dough into 4 portions and sprinkle your working surface with some tapioca flour.
• Preheat a skillet on the stove over high heat. Meanwhile, roll out each dough ball with a rolling pin (or a glass), adding more tapioca flour if needed, to avoid sticking.
• Once the skillet is hot, add the flatbread and cook it with a lid over medium-high heat for a few minutes. I saw bubbles forming after less than 3 minutes. Flip the flatbread and let it cook for a further few minutes. Do this with the remaining dough. Cover the finished flat breads with a tea towel until serving.
• Serve warm, drizzle with some oil or vegan butter, add minced fresh garlic (and/or garlic powder), salt, and fresh herbs. Enjoy!

OVEN-BAKED NAAN (LEAVENED INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Add the dry yeast and sugar to the warm water and stir till the yeast is dissolved. Cover and leave aside for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to froth. This indicates the yeast is active. Keep aside.
• Mix the flour and salt to taste and sift through a very fine sieve into a large mixing bowl.
• Next, add the yeast mixture, 3 tablespoons of ghee, and all the yogurt. Use your fingertips to mix all this into a soft dough.
• Once mixed, flour a clean, flat surface, and knead the dough till it is smooth and stretchy.
• Grease a large bowl with a few drops of vegetable oil and put the dough in it. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rest for about 90 minutes or till the dough doubles in volume.
• Punch the dough down and knead again for 10 minutes.
• Equally, divide the dough and roll between your palms to form 8 round balls.
• Lightly flour the same surface on which you kneaded the dough and roll out each ball until you have a circle, 7 to 8 inches in diameter (1/4-inch thick). Gently pull on one edge of the circle to form the naan into a teardrop shape. Do not pull too hard or you may tear the dough. Instead of rolling the dough out (with a rolling pin) you can also pat it into a circle with your hands.
• Preheat oven 400 F / 200 C / Mark 6. Lay a piece of aluminum foil ​on an oven tray (to cover) and grease it lightly with a few drops of vegetable oil.
• Place as many formed dough balls as will fit without touching each other on the tray.
• Brush each dough ball lightly with ghee, and sprinkle a pinch of onion seeds evenly over the surface.
• Place the tray in the oven and cook till the naan begins to puff out and lightly brown. Flip the naan and repeat.
• Remove from oven and serve hot in a foil-lined basket.

INDIAN NAAN BREAD

Steps:

• Combine yeast and sugar in small bowl.
• Add water and stir well and let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Stire together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the mixture and butter.
• Mix together with fingers until a smooth doughs form that is just slightly sticky, working in additional flour if needed.
• Transfer dough to flightly floured board and knead for 3 minutes.
• Oil a small bowl with the remaining teaspoon of butter and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towl and let rest in a warm draft-free area until doubled in dize, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven and griddle (or baking stone) to 400 degrees F.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and transfer to lightly floured work surface.
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll each portion dough into a circle.
• 5-6 inches in diameter.
• Optional: Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with seeds.
• Using a heatproof basting brush, lightly coat the griddle/stone with a little vegetable oil and quickly place dough onto the griddle.
• Bake until light golden brown and puffed, 8 - 10 minutes.
• Remove bread and bake remaining rounds.
• Serve bread hot or warm.