Lehsuni Naan

Garlic Naan

Non-vegetarianOrigin PunjabPrep 20 minutes, plus standing and rising timeCook 10–20 minutesMakes 6

Soft and pillowy leavened flatbreads studded with fragrant minced garlic, baked until puffed and blistered. They offer a tender, chewy crumb with a richly savoury, aromatic crust.

Ingredients

Egg · Anda

50 g1 egg

egg

Baking powder

2 g½ teaspoon

other

Granulated sugar · Cheeni

4.2 g1 teaspoon

sweetener

Bicarbonate of soda · Meetha soda

~0.3 gpinch

other

Milk · Doodh

61 g4 tablespoons

dairy

Plain flour · Maidaplus extra for dusting

500 g

flour

Salt · Namak

~0.3 gpinch

salt

Vegetable oil · Telplus extra for oiling

18 g4 teaspoons

oil/fat

Garlic · Lehsunchopped

200 g

aromatic

Method

Whisk 1 egg, 0.5 teaspoon baking powder, 4.2 g granulated sugar, 0.3 g bicarbonate of soda and 61.2 g milk together in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
Sift 500 g flour and 0.3 g salt into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the middle, pour in the egg mixture, and bring together into a soft dough, adding enough water as needed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Move to a baking sheet, drape with a damp cloth, and rest for 10 minutes.
Drizzle over 18 g vegetable oil and punch down the dough, kneading briefly to incorporate the oil. Cover with the damp cloth and leave in a warm area for 2 hours to rise.
If using an oven, preheat it to 200°C (400°F).
Divide the risen dough into 8 equal portions and shape each into a ball on a floured surface. Press each ball flat slightly, distribute 200 g garlic evenly across the tops, pressing it into the dough, and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Grease your hands with a little vegetable oil. Flatten each dough portion between your palms and gently stretch it into an elongated oval.
Cook the naans using either a tandoor or an oven. For a moderately hot tandoor, place on a padded cushion, slap against the inner wall, and bake for 2 to 3 minutes before lifting out with tongs. For an oven, place onto an oiled baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Don't have something?

Egg

Chickpea flour
For binding, use about 10 g chickpea flour mixed with 20 ml water per egg and rest for 10 minutes. Denser and nuttier; not suitable for baking or coating in the same way.
Full-fat natural yoghurt
Use about 30 g per egg for moisture and binding in koftas or fillings. Adds tang and softness; will not set or glaze like egg.
Tofu
Use the same weight, mashed, for egg-like bulk in curries. Soft and bland; add extra spices and do not expect it to bind.

Baking powder

Baking soda
Use 25% of the baking powder's weight (e.g. 1 g for 4 g) and add 2 g cream of tartar or 1 tsp lime juice per 100 g flour. Mix quickly and bake at once.
Bicarbonate of soda
Same as baking soda: use 25% of the weight with an acid such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or yogurt. Expect a slightly soapy taste if overused.
Self-raising flour
Replace the plain flour plus baking powder with the same weight of self-raising flour; omit added baking powder and reduce salt slightly.

Granulated sugar

Jaggery
Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Bicarbonate of soda

Baking soda
Use the same weight; it is the same ingredient under another name.
Baking powder
Use about 3 g baking powder for 1 g bicarbonate of soda; it already contains acid, so expect slight extra rise and a different taste in baking.
Alkaline water
Only for soaking or tenderising, not baking; use enough to cover and expect a much weaker effect.

Milk

Whole milk
Use equal weight; provides the standard rich dairy fat and body expected in creamy Indian bases.
Single cream
Dilute 3 parts cream with 1 part water to match the weight; yields a richer, glossier gravy that resists curdling.
Plain yogurt
Whisk thoroughly and use equal weight; adds extra body and a mild pleasant acidity, best added off the heat.

Plain flour

Whole wheat flour
Use the same weight, add 10–15% more water and rest the dough for 20 minutes; the result is heavier and nuttier.
Rice flour
Use the same weight for crisp coatings; for doughs use no more than half rice flour with wheat flour, or it will be crumbly.
Cornflour
For thickening use half the weight, mixed with cold water; it is not suitable for bread or chapati dough.

Vegetable oil

Peanut oil
Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.
Ghee
Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.
Mustard oil
Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Garlic

Garlic paste
Use equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.
Garlic powder
Use 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.
Shallot
Use 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Similar dishes

Malabari Paratha

Paratha from Malabar

Malabari Paratha tastes richer and purely buttery without the pungent, savory garlic flavor of this dish.

Same: Both are Indian flatbreads prepared with milk, sugar, and salt.
Different: Malabari Paratha uses butter instead of vegetable oil and omits the minced garlic found in this dish to form a layered, flaky flatbread.

Rogani Kulcha

Rich Kulcha

Rogani Kulcha tastes richer and moderately spicy rather than intensely savoury and garlicky.

Same: Rogani Kulcha is also a soft, leavened flatbread made with milk, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt.
Different: It omits the minced garlic entirely, using extra vegetable oil, chilli powder, and a hot egg-and-chilli glaze instead.

Ulte Tawe ka Paratha

Paratha Cooked on the Griddle

Ulte Tawe ka Paratha tastes rich, nutty, and sweet rather than sharp and intensely garlicky like this dish.

Same: Ulte Tawe ka Paratha is also a tender flatbread prepared with milk, sugar, and salt.
Different: Instead of being studded with garlic and baked with vegetable oil, Ulte Tawe ka Paratha adds cashew paste, uses ghee as the cooking fat, and is layered and cooked on an inverted griddle.

Kerala Paratha

Kerala Paratha tastes richer and distinctly buttery, lacking the intense savory garlic punch of this dish.

Same: Kerala Paratha is also a milk-enriched flatbread prepared with sugar, salt, and oil.
Different: Kerala Paratha uses ghee, butter, and peanut oil to create layered flakes, whereas this dish is leavened, baked, and topped with 200 grams of garlic.