Naan with yogurt

Plain naan is one of the healthier options to accompany a meal at an Indian restaurant according to Medline Plus. Opting for one of the sweet or savory filled versions such as coconut or garlic may increase the calories somewhat and make it a less nutritious option. A typical meal will also be accompanied with a flatbread and copious amounts of rice. Most people choose naan bread. A naan is made from white flour and is usually brushed with butter or ghee just before serving. Contrary to theories that bread is fattening grains are naturally low in fat. Both enriched and whole grain breads contain around 70 calories per slice and less than 1 g of fat. Since they are high in carbohydrates however they are often deemed undesirable by low carb advocates. Why Bread Makes You Fat and High Fat Foods Can Help You Lose Weight. For a long time we've been told to eat a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrate rich grains to be healthy. The food pyramid found on school classroom walls and doctors offices has breads grains and other starches and its base. Naan is Indian yeast leavened bread traditionally baked in a clay oven called a tandoori. You've probably eaten it alongside curry at your favorite restaurant grabbed it from the bakery or maybe you've already made it at home. While we often associate naan with Indian food it can be a staple of the everyday dinner routine as this is one of the fastest most versatile breads you can make at home. Naan is a leavened oven baked flatbread found in the cuisines of central Asia and south Asia. This distinguishes it from roti which is usually cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle called a tava. Modern recipes sometimes substitute baking powder for the yeast.milk or yogurt may also be used to impart distinct tastes to the naan. Milk used instead of water will as it does for ordinary bread yield softer dough. When bread starter which contains both yeast and lactobacilli is used the milk may undergo modest lactic fermentation. Naan the easiest homemade naan recipe that you can make on skillet. Fluff and soft naan that tastes like Indian restaurants. In a small bowl combine the yeast sugar and water. Stir to dissolve then let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. Once frothy whisk in the oil yogurt and egg until evenly combined. In a separate medium bowl combine 1 cup of the flour with the salt. Next, pour the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour salt mixture and stir until well combined. Continue adding flour a half cup at a time until you can no longer stir it with a spoon about 1 to 1.5 cups later. At that point turn the ball of dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes adding small amounts of flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. You'll end up using between 2.5 to 3 cups flour total.

The dough should be smooth and very soft but not sticky. Avoid adding excessive amounts of flour as you knead as this can make the dough too dry and stiff. Loosely cover the dough and let it rise until double in size (about 1 hour). After it rises, gently flatten the dough into a disc and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball. Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick or approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the bottom is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface. Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Stack the cooked flat bread on a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm as you cook the remaining pieces. Serve plain or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with herbs like most yeast breads naan is made of flour yeast water and salt. The addition of yogurt which gives naan its unique flavor and texture changes the way the dough comes together. Fat rich ingredients like yogurt milk and eggs can inhibit gluten development as without as much naan doesn't rise or puff during cooking. To ensure your naan has the chewy texture we love we turn to the stand mixer to help us work the dough for a full 10 minutes to develop the gluten. Combine the water and sugar in a small measuring cup. Sprinkle with the yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and the yogurt to the flour mixture and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together. Increase the speed slightly and mix until the dough is smooth about 10 minutes. Don't worry if the dough is sticky or stringy this is the nature of yogurt based dough. Form the dough into a ball. Coat the mixing bowl with cooking spray return the dough to the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise until doubled in size about 1 hour.

Flatten the risen dough into a disk. Divide the disk into 8 pieces as you would a pizza. Cover the dough with the towel. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Working with 1 or 2 pieces of dough at a time roll the dough into 2 inch thick rounds or ovals. Irregular shape is fine as long as the dough is the same thickness across. Place on the griddle and cook until golden brown and lightly charred 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the cooked naan to a plate and cover with a towel. Repeat with the remaining dough.