Naan Bread

240g plain flour

1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 a teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of sugar

130ml of milk mixed with 2 tablespoons of oil (Sunflower, vegetable or rapeseed, but NOT olive oil)

Ground coriander to dust

preparation 4 mins • you cook for 20 mins • total time 38 mins

Serves 2

Watch a 30 second preview of my cook-along video below

If you cannot view the video below, click here to download QuickTime from Apple's website.

When having a curry, there's nothing better than leaving some sauce to dip soft, warm naan bread into. Homemade naan bread is so much nicer because it's freshly baked. Deliciously light with a hint of sweetness, my naan bread are simple to make and can be easily adapted to include your favourite Indian flavours. This is a two part recipe for plain naan. In part one we make the dough and leave it to rise. In part two we shape, roll and cook the Naan.

2 large mixing bowls to weigh the ingredients into and to mix the dough

A sieve

Another large mixing bowl for the dough to rest in (or you can rinse out the one above)

Rolling pin

Baking tray

Small sieve for dusting the naan with ground coriander, although a pinch will suffice.

Measuring jug

Before you start have all the ingredients weighed and ready. Put the milk and oil together in a jug and click here!

Before you start put the baking tray under the grill and turn on to medium. Have your rolling pin ready and click here!

Measure the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a bowl and then sieve them all into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the middle of the flour and then pour in the milk, reserving a little in the bottom of the jug.

Lightly flour your work surface now before you get your hands messy! Using your fingers, push the flour into the well from the outside then start mixing together. The dough will be really sticky at this stage but try to use the dough to pick up most of the loose bits of flour. There will be some flour remaining at the bottom of the bowl. Pick the dough up with one hand and, using the other, pour the remaining milk into the bowl. Put the dough back in and mix again with your hands until all the flour is incorporated into a sticky ball.

Put the bowl aside and place the dough onto the floured work surface (don't worry if a lot of it is still on your hands). To knead, use the heel of one hand and push the mix away from you, stretching the dough. At the same time, use the knuckles of your other hand to pull the dough towards you. Then fold the dough back on itself so that you have the same rough shape as you started with. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat this for 10 minutes. Everything is super sticky to start but don't worry. Keep repeating the process of pushing and pulling, folding it back up and turning as in the photo below.

After a few minutes, you'll be able to pick bits of dough off your hands and add it to the work surface. The texture will start to change and the dough will stretch more easily as in the photo below.

After 10 minutes, form the dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl, loosely cover with cling film and leave for 15 minutes in a warm place.

After 15 minutes put the baking tray under the grill and turn on to medium. It's now time to shape and cook the naan. Put the dough onto your work surface and cut it roughly into quarters (one quarter for each naan). To make authentic looking naan breads use your palms to shape the dough quarters into more of a triangle shape with 1 of the points facing towards you.

Using your rolling pin roll the triangle away from you once, then roll from the middle to either side once. You should have a rough teardrop shape. Repeat this with the other three bits of dough. Remove your baking tray from under the grill, place the naan breads on and then dust with a little ground coriander.

Put the tray back under the grill for 2-3 minutes until they start to puff up and just get to the point of burning.

I hope that you enjoy them.

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