A CRUST OF BREAD & A CORNER TO BLOG IN…LIFE IS!

Have been on an Indian flatbread making spree of late. Recently rediscovered a book that I haven’t used in a while…The Indian Menu Planner. The recipes in this book have been put together by the master chefs of the Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton Hotel & Towers, New Delhi. With loads of naans popping up every now & then, that was the first bread I wanted to try, & the second on my list was tandoori roti, an unleavened bread made from wholewheat flour. Both came out delicious. The naan needs prior preparation as it is a leavened bread, but the tandoori roti can be made with about 30 minutes in hand.

To make these flatbreads, I use a contraption substituting a tandoor. It is basically a simple ‘black box’, with a heater element, under which a metallic tray slides in like a drawer. It goes up to very high temperatures & is ideal for making these; each bread takes 2-3 minutes.

The oven serves the purpose quite well though, just takes a wee bit longer! These breads are ideally served fresh & hot with Indian meals like a butter chicken, dal makhani, tadka dal, tandoori chicken, vegetables, smoked butter paneer, kebabs etc.

NAAN as adapted from the Indian Menu Planner…

Naan…A light leavened Indian bread that can be made rich by applying butter when ready.

Naans are traditionally cooked in a Tandoor or earthen oven but can also be made in your oven at home. Serve this delicious bread hot, with popular dishes like Tandoori Chicken or kebabs of different kinds. The dough for Naans needs to be made in advance so factor that into the preparation time.

“Crusty, yet tender, delicious NAAN…”

Ingredients:

Water -1 cup

• Sieve the flour, salt, soda bicarb & baking powder into a kneading platter / bowl.
• Whisk the milk, yogurt & sugar together.
• Make a well in the flour, add the cup of water & milk mixture & knead to a soft, smooth dough. Add more water if required.
• Cover with a moist cloth & keep aside for 10 minutes.
• Add the oil & knead again until all the oil has been absorbed by the dough.
• Cover with a moist cloth, & keep in warm place for 2 hours until the dough rises.
• Divide the dough into 10 balls. Flatten & sprinkle nigella (onion seeds, not Lawson), melon & sesame seeds. Cover & rest for 5 minutes.
• Roll & flatten each ball within your palms. Stretch dough to one side to give the naan an elongated shape.
• Place the naan on a greased or foil lined tray & bake in hot oven, at 190 degrees C for 10 minutes.
• Brush with melted butter or ghee if desired & serve immediately.

• Sieve the flour & salt into a kneading platter / bowl.
• Make a well & pour in about 300 ml (a little more than a cup) of water, & knead to a soft dough. Add more water if desired. The dough should be silky smooth & not sticky.
• Cover with a damp cloth & set aside for 20 minutes.
• Divide into 8 portions. make into balls & dust with flour.
• Pat & flatten each ball with the palms of your hand to make 6″ wide discs.
• Place on greased tray/foil lined tray & bake for 5-6 minutes in an oven preheated at 180 degrees C.
• Brush with melted ghee if desired. Serve hot.

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