Article: Learn How to Make Pakistani Naan at Home
Learn How to Make Pakistani Naan at Home
Originating in South Asia, naan is a traditional flatbread that we can eat with almost every dish. Loved all over the world for its soft and chewy texture, we cook naan in a clay oven or Tandoor. However, you can also cook it at home using a baking oven or a regular flat pan on a stove. Just follow our easy Pakistani naan recipe.
We make this delicious flatbread with a special dough consisting of a variety of ingredients. Typically, these ingredients include oil, flour, yeast, and yogurt. However, the combination can vary depending on the type of naan you are making. Naan is quite common in Pakistani and Indian households. It’s a part of both daily and special meals. Naan is most popular among popular dishes such as Haleem and Nihari.
As with most South Asian dishes, the traditional Naan recipe is also rich in history. Historical evidence suggests that it dates back to the early 1,500s as part of the Mughal cuisine. For this reason, it is common in Pakistan and India. Traditionally, people served naan as part of royal breakfast meals. Over the years, Naan recipes traveled to the United Kingdom, gradually gaining popularity all over the world. Today, the traditional Naan recipe has evolved to create several delicious variants.
What Are Some Popular Varieties Of Pakistani Naan?
The most commonly eaten Pakistani naan is the traditional simple one. However, years of culinary innovation and creativity have given birth to a diverse range of Naan variants. There are variations with different flavors and fillings. While some are savory or spicy, others are sweet.Roghni Naan
If you are in the mood for a special meal, Roghni Naan is the ideal accompaniment. While we cook it with the same ingredients, this type of naan comes with a topping of sesame seeds. You can also cook it in a larger quantity of oil or ghee, which gives it a rich taste. The top is mostly glazed and brown, which makes it look more appetizing.Qeema Naan
This special type of naan comes with a unique stuffing of minced meat or Qeema. Since this naan has a heavy filling, you can eat it as a meal on its own. You can have Qeema naan with yogurt or chili sauce as a breakfast meal. We cook this naan with a combination of spices; therefore, it is both spicy and tangy in flavor. Besides Qeema Naan, you can also find other variants with different types of vegetables used as fillings.Cheese Naan
This is a contemporary variant of the traditional plain Pakistani naan. While the cooking technique is the same, we add a filling of cheese for extra flavor. This type of naan is influenced by Western cuisine as it often combines flavors of cheese, oregano, and garlic. Cheese Naan is most popular among younger food lovers as it fuses both Eastern and Western flavors into one recipe.Chocolate-filled Naan
Unlike other Naan recipes, this type of naan is sweet in its flavor. Mostly eaten as a dessert with tea or coffee, Chocolate-filled Naan is immensely popular among the younger generation in Pakistan. With a delicious blend of melted chocolate and soft dough, this naan is one of the most popular desserts in the region. We cook it using the same recipe as the plain naan. However, a generous filling of melted chocolate is added instead.What Is The Basic Recipe To Make Pakistani Naan A
How to Make Pakistani Naan at Home
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 2 teaspoon of active dry yeast
- 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt
- ¼ cup of olive or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup of water
Take a medium-sized bowl and combine the yeast with water and sugar. Stir the mixture for a few minutes until it starts to form a frothy texture.
Once it reaches the right texture, add in the oil, yogurt, and egg. Use a hand-held whisk to combine the ingredients.
In another bowl, mix the flour and salt. Sift through the flour for about one minute.
Next, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of flour and salt. Stir the mixture properly to make sure that all the ingredients are blended in properly. This will create the dough, which is required to make naan.
Take the dough out and place it on a flat surface and knead the dough for at least 3 minutes. You can sprinkle some flour onto the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the surface.
Make sure that the dough remains soft but does not turn too sticky or dry.
Cover the dough for at least 1 hour, allowing it to rise and increase in size. After an hour, flatten out the dough and cut out 8 round pieces. Use your hands to knead each piece into a small ball.
Take a flat pan and place it on a medium flame on the stove. Take your dough balls one at a time and roll them on to a flat surface.
Taking one piece of the rolled out dough at a time, place it on to the flat pan. Let the dough cook until you start to see bubbles forming on the surface.
Once the dough starts turning golden-brown, flip it over and cook the other side till it changes color too.
Take the naan out of the pan and sprinkle it with your favorite toppings for extra flavor.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy your freshly cooked homemade Pakistani naan.
