Here’s a quick post today about an easy and quick way to make a popular Indian recipe: grilled naan.
I usually make naan the time-consuming traditional way, with yeast and in the oven. And although it is still quite quick to put together, I wanted to find a way to to make it quicker.
The naan recipe I’m sharing today uses baking powder as leavening instead of yeast, which means you can pretty much skip all the time needed for rising etc., although you do need to rest the dough for no more than half hour after you’ve kneaded it. The naan is– as the name suggests– baked on a grill instead of in the oven. All in all, it takes no more than an hour from mixing this dough to having hot and fresh naans on your plate, all ready to eat. Besides, those grill marks do look pretty, don’t they?
The recipe makes four naans, but feel free to double it if you want more.
So here’s the recipe for a favorite made easy. It’s fluffy and soft and quite delicious. A winner, in my book.
Grilled Naan
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup nondairy milk
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Mix the milk with the vinegar. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking powder.
- Add the milk and oil and mix with a wooden spoon or at medium speed in a stand mixer. The dough will be very sticky. Beat for about 5 minutes.
- Now turn it out on a floured surface and knead with oiled hands.
- Divide the dough into 4 balls-- oiling your hands again will help form the balls.
- Set them aside for 30 minutes.
- Roll out each ball into a round or an oval, about 7 inches in diameter.
- Heat a grill pan (you can also do this on an outdoor grill) until it's really hot but just short of smoking. Brush with a little oil. Place a naan on it and turn the heat down to medium.
- Grill until golden grill marks appear on the naan, about 2 minutes. Then flip over and grill the other side for another minute. Flip over once again at an angle so you get a nice grill pattern on the naan. (Don't overdo the grilling because the naan does harden up if it cooks too long). Brush some olive oil on both sides of the naan, if desired.
Nutrition
Serve hot with a spicy curry like My Dad’s Not-Mutton Mushroom Curry or my Chickpea Curry With Caribbean Spices.
Anonymous says
November 11, 2009 atVaishali
Thank you very much for such an amazing and very quick recipe of naan 🙂
Priya says
November 11, 2009 atWow vaishali, grilled naan looks gorgeous and awesome..
BangaloreBaker says
November 11, 2009 atCool recipe. Nice pictures.
Mints! says
November 11, 2009 atgreat naan recipe Vaishali. I sometimes add garlic powder in the dough or sometimes add kalaunji that tastes good too,
Tiffany C. says
November 12, 2009 atI love naan but the long rise time of the yeast method can be a bit of a drag. Thanks for posting such a quick and tasty-sounding version.
Trinity (of haiku tofu) says
November 12, 2009 atThat looks amazing. I have yet to make my own Naan bread, it’s on my list!
Zengirl says
November 12, 2009 atVaishali,
Never thought of Grilled naan and that too much simpler and healthier. Amazing recipe. I sure will have to make this.
Joyful says
November 12, 2009 atThat looks great and something I’m gonna try real soon. I wonder if it will work on my George Foreman Grill?
Uma says
November 12, 2009 atOMG! Perfect naan and looks so yummy too!! Love those grill marks on the naan.
Miri says
November 12, 2009 atFabulous! I don’t have that grill rack 🙁 is it fixed to the oven?
The Voracious Vegan says
November 12, 2009 atTHANK YOU! I’ve been looking for a simple and delicious naan recipe for ages. I can’t wait to try this, it looks great.
Chitchat says
November 12, 2009 atHi
Loved your colorful blogsite. Naan recipe is kept simple with no elaborate procedure. I liked it. Yet to make naan at home.
Peep into my site when you find time
Chitchat
http://chitchatcrossroads.blogspot.com/
Curry Leaf says
November 12, 2009 atGreat Naan Vaishai,under 2 hrs its ready.Must try for me.
Susan says
November 12, 2009 atYes, those grill marks do look pretty! And I have just the pan for them. Thanks for sharing.
sandhya says
November 12, 2009 atgr8 easy naan recipe & lovely grill marks too…always made naan with yeast, will surely try ur’s next time…
Sushma Mallya says
November 13, 2009 atNice way to make naan…surely going to try it soon
Sharmila says
November 13, 2009 atFabulous looking naan Vaishali! For this I think my stove top grill will work fine too. 🙂
Vaishali says
November 13, 2009 atAnon, Priya, Bangalorebaker, thanks!
Mints, great idea to add kalonji or garlic. Will try next time!
Tiffany, Trinity, Zengirl: Thanks!
Joyful, not sure if it’d work on the Foreman grill unless you can leave it open? It does need to be open so it can puff up. I just do it on a stovetop grill pan.
Uma, thanks!
Miri, no, it’s just a pan that fits over two burners–it’s cast iron and I probably paid no more than 10 dollars when I bought it years ago. I love it!
Voracious, Curry, Chitchat, Susan, Sandhya, Sushma: THanks!
Sharmila, yes, the stovetop grill is what I usually use too!
Soma says
November 15, 2009 atVaishali, I have had perfect satisfaction with your Pita bread recipe. My oven is not working and I have been contemplating making naan and pita on my cast iron stove top grill for a long time. I was thinking that I will heat it up & keep the grill covered with a lid to create the heat inside and put the naan/pita inside.. kind a like a pseudo oven.This recipe is a keeper. Will try this out.
Frances says
November 20, 2009 atHi, just came across your site from voracious vegan, so pleased I did, what a great blog you’ve got. I’m going to try out this recipe tonight. Thanks!
Tori says
January 19, 2012 atI’ve tried a bunch of different naan recipes but nothing has been as delicious or easy as these ones!
Vaishali says
January 19, 2012 atThanks, Tori! Glad you liked them. 🙂
Ginny says
May 12, 2012 atI found some cultured coconut milk that I substituted for the soymilk and vinegar. It was amazing! Oh man was it delicious. Just thought I would share. Thanks for posting this recipe!
Vaishali Honawar says
July 12, 2013 atThanks, Ginny.
Anonymous says
January 29, 2016 atMy first time making naan and it was easy and delicious! I don’t have a grill so I used a non-stick pan and it worked beautifully. Next time maybe I’ll try with white whole wheat flour. Thank you for the recipe!