Naan

What accompanies an Indian dish better than rice! Yes, rice and naan! This flatbread is perfect to soak up those delicious curries and also so flavorful all by itself. Even though naan belongs into the Indian cuisine, I already Italianized it many times by making naan pizza. So yummy! I usually make double batches and freeze whatever is left! This way it’s always available!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm (not hot!!!) water
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose einkorn flour
• 1 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp ground golden flax seed
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plain vegan yogurt, homemade or store bought
• 1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• more extra virgin olive oil for skillet or grill

Preparation:

Pour the warm (not hot!) water in a small bowl. Add yeast and maple syrup, and let sit for about 10 minutes until bubbles form. Meanwhile, put the einkorn flour with salt, baking powder, and flax seed into a large mixing bowl, blend and form a well in the middle. If you’re using a machine, attach the kneading hook. Once the yeast/water mix is ready, pour it with the olive oil and vegan yogurt into the well and start kneading. It takes about 5 minutes on low to medium low speed for my stand mixer to form one piece of dough that can easily be pulled away from the inside of the bowl and the hook. It might take a little longer, if you use your hands. The dough should be smooth and a little sticky. Cover the bottom of your bowl and your hands with some more flour, and form a nice flour-dusted ball of dough. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place until it’s about double the size. This takes, give or take, about 2 hours, depending on room temperature and the kind of yeast you use. If your A/C is running, and you can’t find a warm spot in the house, please check my notes for a solution! Once the dough has risen, push it down with your fist, pull it away from the bowl, and briefly knead it again. Transfer dough to your flour dusted work area and divide it into about 6 even pieces. Cover with damp kitchen towel again and let rest for another 15 to 20 minutes. Use a flour dusted rolling pin to roll them into thin, flat ovals. You can either use a skillet or indoor grill for the next steps. I used a grill. Preheat a skillet or grill on medium high. Add some oil, and place naan into the skillet or on grill until bubbles form and the bottom starts to take on some color, about 2 – 3 minutes. Flip the naan. If oil is all absorbed, add some more. The second side might take a little less time to be done. Keep checking! Repeat with all your naans, and use sufficient oil so they won’t burn.

Notes:

• This is the plain, awesome and versatile (remember naan pizza!) version. If you like to change it up a little, just add 1 Tbsp minced  fresh parsley and 1 – 2 cloves minced garlic to the dough for garlic naan. You could also add 1 tsp of ground turmeric for beautiful yellow coloring, or be creative and let me know what you came up with. As always, make it your own!
• Of course best if eaten right away, but I usually double the amount of ingredients and freeze the rest in ziploc bags with air removed. I quick-thaw them by heating a skillet on medium high and frying the naans on both sides with some olive oil.
• If you can’t find a warm spot in your house to let the dough rise, heat your oven to 110°F (43°C). Not higher! Then turn it off again! The yeast loves warm conditions but will die when it’s too hot. Wrap one or two damp kitchen towels around your bowl to give it some insulation and to prevent the dough from drying out. Put it in the warm oven (did you turn off the heat???) and let it rise. This technique will definitely speed up the process.