To me, the only way to enjoy saag, or butter chicken, or other saucy Indian food, is with naan.
I prefer plain naan as to preserve the true flavor of the sauce, but to each his own.
It’s funny, Italian bread or sourdough bread, just does not work the same way as naan and there are a bunch of reasons why. Mostly, it's because naan has more than just flour, water, salt, and yeast.
When I started making Indian food at home, I knew I would need to learn how to make naan, or make daily trips to some store where I could purchase it fresh.
Of course, I found recipes on the internet, of course I did, but my twist is that I air-fry it rather than using a pan on the stove top. The stove top works fine, but the house can get smoky.
Here’s my rendition:
2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup of neutral oil, I used canola
¼ cup of buttermilk
1 large egg
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Dissolve the sugar in the water and then add the yeast to let it bloom
After a few minutes add the rest of the wet ingredients to the water and yeast
Mix the salt with the flour in a separate bowl
Add the wet ingredients to the flour and stir until it becomes a dough
Knead the dough until it is smooth, about 5 minutes
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a damp towel
I put mine in a warm oven because the house was a bit chilly
After about an hour and a half, the dough should have doubled in size.
Roll the dough into a log and cut it into about 10 equal size pieces.
I put some of mine into plastic sandwich bags and into the fridge and freezer since I don’t plan on eating 10 naan in one sitting and also so that I can Air-Fry 2 or three at a time when I need them.
Preheat your Air-Fryer to 450
Roll an individual piece using a rolling pin and a bit of flour so it does not stick into a rectangle measuring about 4 x 10 inches
Brush the rolled naan with a little melted butter and prick it all over with a fork. I sprinkled a little fresh cilantro on my naan, but you don't need to.
Place the naan into the Air-Fryer and watch it rise. If it starts to puff like a pita, just open the door and pop it with a fork
It should only take a minute or two to bake one.
Kiss yourself for making deliciousness
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