Second to Naan
The other night we ordered Indian food from our favorite takeout spot. We order the same things every time because we’re boring. And, we eat there often enough to know what our favorites are. Tikka masala, lamb biryani, tandoori, multiple orders of samosas (I like them for breakfast.), and absolutely without fail, way too much naan to go with it all.

Just like the basket of bread on the table at your favorite restaurant, it is impossible to just eat a little bit of naan. When it’s still piping hot I’ll eat it plain by the handful. When it cools off a bit, there is no better way to soak up every last drop of saucy goodness than by swiping your plate with the naan.

I had never made my own naan—mainly because I never thought I would be able to get it right without using a tandoor. And, frankly, it was just easier to order it. However, on those nights when I throw together a quick chicken curry at home, it would be nice to have some fresh naan that didn’t come from a package at the store.

So it will come as no surprise that I was very happy to find this recipe for making naan in a cast-iron skillet. It’s simple and the bulk of my everyday pans are cast iron. Yay me. The good news? Naan can also make a great flatbread sandwich which is good because I plan to make these again this weekend…curry or no curry.

Homemade Naan Recipe
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia
Yields 8 pieces

This recipe for homemade naan turns out delicious, soft, puffy, airy, bread with beautiful golden brown spots on the surface. They taste just like the best Indian buffet restaurants!

Ingredients
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 ounce (2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
some oil, for greasing the skillet
3 tablespoons melted ghee or butter

Directions
Proof the yeast
In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it begins to foam (about 10 minutes).

Make the dough
Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt, salt, and oil. Knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny (about 10 minutes).

Allow the dough to rise
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).

Make the bread
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch circle using a rolling pin.

Cook the naan
Lightly grease the surface of the cast-iron skillet with some flavorless oil. Please the skillet on the stovetop on high heat. Place one piece of dough on the skillet. When it puffs up and dark spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side.

Repeat until all the dough is cooked. Brush each piece of naan with melted ghee or butter and serve hot.