posted by Maree 07-17-98 4:29 AM
From her " An Invitation to Indian Cooking", Penguin, Ringwood, Vic. / NY, NY, 1983. ISBN: not listed.
Naan: (serves 6)
1lb all-purpose (plain) flour
~7 fluid. oz milk
1 egg, beaten
3/4 teaspn. salt
1teasp. baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1+ 1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
2 tabs (1 fluid oz) veg. oil (+ some for brushing later)
4 tabs (2 oz) plain yogurt
1/4 teaspn. black onion seeds (kalonji) or poppy seeds instead.
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I do all of this in my Magimix (Cuisinart) food processor. Please adapt if doing by hand.
Place all dry ingreds in bowl of processor. Wizz to mix. In another bowl mix egg, oil, yogurt, and most of milk (keep a couple of tabs. in reserve if needed).
With motor of processor running, pour in liquidy mixure onto dry ingredients. Process until forms a ball. You may need to add the milk (bit by bit) that you held in reserve. Knead / process until forms a ball and is silky and elastic in texture. Tip into clean bowl, brush with oil, cover with damp cloth (I put the bowl into a clean supermarket plastic bag and tie off the handles to make a 'controlled climate, moist environment'. Leave to rise in warm place (2-3 hrs, depending on ambient temperature).
Preheat the grill/ boiler/ oven.
Knead dough briefly. Divide into 6 balls. Flatten each and roll out into a teardrop shape ~ 11"x4" each. Cover with moistened cloth ~ 10-15 mins. in a warm spot. Brush centre of each with water leaving a 1/2 inch margin around edges. Sprinkle centre with kalonji / poppy seeds. Grill on high heat for ~1-1.5 mins each side (until lightly brown). *Important: Do not leave/ do not stop watching. These cook very quickly.
Variation: I often add ~ 2 cloves chopped garlic or 2 tabs. chopped parsley to the dry ingredients.