Sorta...
I had planned on doing this month's BBB Bread: Naan as suggested by our lovely Lynn live while I made it and keep you up to date step by step.
That was the plan anyways. But, I'm seeing a problem with this whole live blogging thing. It is hard to type and mix dough at the same time!
So, instead of absolutely live there will be a 5 minute taped delay.
You know just in case the yeast has a wardrobe malfunction or the flour utters a word that isn't fit for the little yeast tots out there.
So off we go!
6:45pm East Coast Time: Little Blobs of Dough
Here is the recipe we are using:
Plain Naan
scant 4 cups white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 oz / 15 g. package compressed fresh yeast*
water to mix (10oz)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
olive oil for frying
1- Line a baking sheet. Put the flour, salt and yeast into a bowl and add enough water to make a soft, but not sloppy dough. Add the seeds, then divide the dough into three pieces and put on the baking sheet. Let rest for 1 hour.
2- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and, using a rolling pin, flatten each piece into a circle, 10 inches / 25.5 cm in diameter, and let rest for 5 minutes.
3- Heat a skillet to a medium heat and add a splash of olive oil. Shallow-fry each naan until browned on both sides, then set aside to cool slightly before serving.
Makes 3 naan (which I wonder about - same amount of flour as above, so why half the yield? - Lynn's Note) I wonder why too so I divided it up into eight pieces!
Another place I kind of deviated from Lynn's recipe was I always proof my fresh yeast, regardless of what the recipe calls for. I use a 1/4 cup of luke warm water and pinch of sugar when I proof fresh yeast. You are all set to go when your yeast looks like this
I used two spices in my Naan: cumin seeds and the Penzy's Balti mix (coriander, garlic, ginger, cumin, dundicut chilies, Ceylon cinnamon, funugreek, mustard, cardamom, clove, fennel, chamushka, star anise, ajwain, black cardamom, cilantro, anise seed, and bay leaf).
I put that stuff on everything, including popcorn and I can't wait to taste it in my naan.
While my dough is finishing resting for the hour, I'm going to marinate some chicken for my curry and cook the rice.
8:45pm East Coast Time: Let's EAT!
After letting the dough rest for one hour you have puffy little balls of dough.
The dough was lovely to work with, soft and pliable when rolling out.
Heat some oil in a pan and fry up the naan.
Traditional naan is actually baked on the side of a tandorri but since I don't have one of those, nor do any of my friends or fellow Babes, we have to use shallow frying.
Look at this bubble!
When they are golden brown on one side, flip them and let them brown and take them out to cool.
I'm lucky I had any left for dinner because I had the curry sauce and my favorite Indian condiment, tamarind chutney on the counter while I was making the naan.
I decided to try one while the rest were frying and next thing I knew, I had eaten two. oops.
I restrained myself and while the rice finished cooking in my rice cooker, which next to Isabelle (Kitchen Aid Pro V) is my favorite kitchen appliance, I fixed the curry.
Fifteen minutes later I sat down to a wonderful home cooked Indian meal.
Naan was pretty darn easy to make and I can't wait to try another batch.
Go see what the other Babes made to go along with their naan by visiting their blogs listed on my sidebar. If you want to try your hand at making naan, we'd love to have you join us as a Bread Baking Buddy. Just make the naan, blog about it and email our lovely host kitchen, Cookie Baker Lynn by January 25.
