Post by cannyfradock on Mar 16, 2013 12:36:01 GMT
This is a recipe kindly given to me by Dan Toomes who goes by the name of "The Curry Guy" www.greatcurryrecipes.net/ ..........
Back in February 2011, shortly after I started this blog, I posted a naan bread recipe which I’d been using for years. That naan bread recipe had seen me through many curry nights and parties. Naan bread became a true favourite around my house. I still swear by the recipe and believe it to be one of the best out there but last week the way I make naans changed forever.
I purchased my own tandoor oven!
When it arrived I nervously looked at it for a while. I even fired it up and tried to cook something in it but my first attempts were nothing short of failure.
I decided to seek the advice of my friends down at my local tandoori restaurant. Thankfully, they were happy to help out.
Now I would like to pass their excellent recipe on to you. If you don’t have a tandoor oven, you could use this recipe in a conventional oven pre-heated to 400f (200c). That said, I love my tandoor and can strongly recommend purchasing one if you like dining al fresco.
The best advice they gave me was to allow the dough to rest – covered for about 24 hours! This is how the best British Indian restaurants achieve the soft, chewy dough that makes naan bread such a popular side dish.
Naan bread should be allowed to rise for 24 hours!
If you have tried my other naan bread recipe, you will see that this recipe is quite similar. But the longer standing time and the use of fresh yeast in this recipe make a big difference.
Will I still use my old recipe? Sure I will but this recipe takes it all to the next level.
You can purchase fresh yeast from bakers or even supermarkets where they bake their own bread.
(Serves 6)
INGREDIENTS
900g (2 pounds) plain flour
300ml lukewarm – hand hot milk
50g fresh yeast
4 tablespoons sugar
300ml Greek yogurt
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 free range medium sized eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
100g ghee or clarified butter
Method
Warm the milk in a 1 litre plastic container until it is hot to the touch.
Dissolve the fresh yeast in the milk and add the sugar.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes. The yeast will wake up and a thick foam will form.
While you are waiting for the yeast to foam up, sift the flour into a large bowl.
Beat the eggs and add them to the flour. Then beat the yogurt and add it too.
Add the yeast/milk when it is really foamy along with the rest of the ingredients except for the ghee.
Form the dough into a ball and knead for 20 minutes. You want the dough ball to be slightly sticky to the touch but your fingers should not stick to the dough! If they do, add a little more flour.
With your hands, wipe the vegetable oil over the dough ball and place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for one hour or preferably longer – up to 24 hours. The longer the better.
to cook
Heat your tandoor or conventional oven to 200c. If cooking in a conventional oven, place a baking tray or pizza stone on the top self and wait for it to heat up.
Dust a surface with flour and take a tennis ball sized piece of dough. Use a rolling pen to flatten the dough into a large round or tear drop shape. You want the dough to be quite thin – no more than 3mm thick.
Place the dough in the oven. The naan bread should bubble up and begin to brown. If you are using a tandoor oven, be sure to check the temperature carefully. It must be between 200 and 220c! Slap a naan bread on the side (as pictures) and wait about three minutes for it to bubble up and cook.
Remove the finished naan bread and brush with a little melted ghee. Keep warm while you cook the other naans.
I would love to hear from you. www.greatcurryrecipes.net/
****************************************
I shall be trying Dan's Naan bread recipe out, next weekend when I fire my Wood-fired oven up for a student class. I shall post some pics of the results...
Terry
Back in February 2011, shortly after I started this blog, I posted a naan bread recipe which I’d been using for years. That naan bread recipe had seen me through many curry nights and parties. Naan bread became a true favourite around my house. I still swear by the recipe and believe it to be one of the best out there but last week the way I make naans changed forever.
I purchased my own tandoor oven!
When it arrived I nervously looked at it for a while. I even fired it up and tried to cook something in it but my first attempts were nothing short of failure.
I decided to seek the advice of my friends down at my local tandoori restaurant. Thankfully, they were happy to help out.
Now I would like to pass their excellent recipe on to you. If you don’t have a tandoor oven, you could use this recipe in a conventional oven pre-heated to 400f (200c). That said, I love my tandoor and can strongly recommend purchasing one if you like dining al fresco.
The best advice they gave me was to allow the dough to rest – covered for about 24 hours! This is how the best British Indian restaurants achieve the soft, chewy dough that makes naan bread such a popular side dish.
Naan bread should be allowed to rise for 24 hours!
If you have tried my other naan bread recipe, you will see that this recipe is quite similar. But the longer standing time and the use of fresh yeast in this recipe make a big difference.
Will I still use my old recipe? Sure I will but this recipe takes it all to the next level.
You can purchase fresh yeast from bakers or even supermarkets where they bake their own bread.
(Serves 6)
INGREDIENTS
900g (2 pounds) plain flour
300ml lukewarm – hand hot milk
50g fresh yeast
4 tablespoons sugar
300ml Greek yogurt
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 free range medium sized eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
100g ghee or clarified butter
Method
Warm the milk in a 1 litre plastic container until it is hot to the touch.
Dissolve the fresh yeast in the milk and add the sugar.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes. The yeast will wake up and a thick foam will form.
While you are waiting for the yeast to foam up, sift the flour into a large bowl.
Beat the eggs and add them to the flour. Then beat the yogurt and add it too.
Add the yeast/milk when it is really foamy along with the rest of the ingredients except for the ghee.
Form the dough into a ball and knead for 20 minutes. You want the dough ball to be slightly sticky to the touch but your fingers should not stick to the dough! If they do, add a little more flour.
With your hands, wipe the vegetable oil over the dough ball and place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for one hour or preferably longer – up to 24 hours. The longer the better.
to cook
Heat your tandoor or conventional oven to 200c. If cooking in a conventional oven, place a baking tray or pizza stone on the top self and wait for it to heat up.
Dust a surface with flour and take a tennis ball sized piece of dough. Use a rolling pen to flatten the dough into a large round or tear drop shape. You want the dough to be quite thin – no more than 3mm thick.
Place the dough in the oven. The naan bread should bubble up and begin to brown. If you are using a tandoor oven, be sure to check the temperature carefully. It must be between 200 and 220c! Slap a naan bread on the side (as pictures) and wait about three minutes for it to bubble up and cook.
Remove the finished naan bread and brush with a little melted ghee. Keep warm while you cook the other naans.
I would love to hear from you. www.greatcurryrecipes.net/
****************************************
I shall be trying Dan's Naan bread recipe out, next weekend when I fire my Wood-fired oven up for a student class. I shall post some pics of the results...
Terry
