Not long after we got married, a mysterious package showed up on our doorstep
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The sender? The Spice Station in LA, and did it ever smell good!
That evening, over dinner and a glass of wine, we opened our box and were nothing short of stunned. A complete treasure trove of exotic salts and spices. Thirty-six in all
“All right, which of our friends and family do we get to thank?”
No card, no note, not even a hint. It took a while, but we eventually found her out and would like to honor this beautiful gift in the best way we know-how. We'll cook for her, be it from afar.
The selection of spices is all about branching out, which begged the question, “How can I expand my horizons while cooking something we know she'd enjoy?” We landed on Indian, quickly realizing a single choice wouldn't suffice. So over the next couple of weeks, woven in amongst some of the other posts, look for a special series of Indian dishes
The fragrant tins now have tiny magnets glued to their backsides and hang on our kitchen backsplash. A wonderful reminder of how very lucky we are to have a circle of good surrounding us
To our favorite Spice Fairy – Thank you, so very much. We love you extra for smelly boxes on our front doorstep!
There's no better way to kick off a series featuring Indian cooking than with Naan. For the longest time, we've bought it from our local international grocery, using it for everything from wraps to individual pizzas. With my great love for homemade bread, I wish I'd have tried my hand much sooner
This recipe comes from a favorite, Artisan Pizza & Flatbread in 5. Cooked in a cast-iron pan on the stovetop, with a bit of clarified or regular butter to impart a flavor similar to the traditional bread. In the book, it's mentioned that naan can be made with any of their bread doughs, which I'm sure would be delicious.
But couldn't resist their more traditional recipe, which included yogurt and milk.
As it turns out, the naan was incredibly easy to make, and the results nothing short of delicious. Although it can be made on a grill, pizza stone, or in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop, I much prefer the latter
If you like yours flavored, that can easily be accomplished. By incorporating it into the dough, or sprinkling on right before cooking. Things like fresh herbs and cheeses are probably best incorporated. But for others (think onion or garlic) their flavors truly shine after coming in direct contact with the hot pan.
The original makes quite a bit of dough. For the two of us, I halved the recipe and froze what we didn't use. ( With Artisan bread dough from the freezer, I let it thaw in the fridge the night before I'd like to use it)
I also couldn't bring myself to use 100% all-purpose flour, instead substituting 1/4 of the total with whole wheat pastry. It turned out beautifully.
A couple of tricks I discovered along the way
If using greek yogurt, add a 2 or 3 extra tablespoons of milk
I experimented with regular butter, and ghee (clarified) Finding ghee really did impart more of the taste one would find if served in a restaurant
How to re-create the signature bubbles on a piece of naan? Solved by putting a lid on the pan while cooking
Enjoy!
xoxo
ps: If anyone has ideas for such spices as Aleppo Pepper, Spanish Rosemary Salt, Vintage Merlot Salt, Sassafras Bark, or Moroccan Thyme, just to name a few, I'm all ears!
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~ Adapted from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day
Homemade Naan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup lukewarm water
- 1 ½ cup lukewarm milk
- 1 Tbsp granulated yeast
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- ½ cup yogurt (If using Greek, add 2 or 3 extra Tbsp milk)
- 2 Tbsp honey (or sugar)
- 5 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup clarified butter, for finishing after baking
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the water, milk, yeast, salt, yogurt, and honey.
- Add the flours, about ⅓ at a time, while mixing on low to medium speed. When all of the flour has been added and combined, turn the mixer to medium and let it knead the dough for a minute or two.
- Transfer to a larger bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. Cover the container loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, leaving some way for air to escape. Allow it to rest at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the dough rises and collapses.
- The dough can be used immediately after its initial rise, although it's much easier to handle when it's cold. Refrigerate until ready to use. It will last for 7 days, when refrigerated.
- At this point it can also be frozen. I'll typically freeze the dough in ¼ pound portions and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before the day I'd like to use it.
- On baking day, punch the ¼ pound portion of dough and divide it into two equal balls. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into an oval shape. The dough should be about 6-8 inches long and about ¼-inch thick. Repeat this method with the remaining dough.
- Warm a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (you want a hot pan). Brush both sides of the naan with olive oil or clarified butter. Place the Naan on the hot skillet, cover and bake for 1 minute, until you see bubbles starting to form. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish.
- Brush both sides of the dough with olive oil (or clarified butter). Place the Naan on the hot skillet, cover and bake for 1 minute, until you see bubbles starting to form. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side until large toasted spots appear on the underside.
- Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naan.
1 Comment
I love Naan and I always get it when I’m out with my husband and I never thought about making it myself but the recipe looks clear and easy so will give it a try!