Naan - plain, avocado, garlic, stuffed and more. Indian flat bread. vegan

There are several types of indian flat breads.. some leavened like Naan, some unleavened like Roti/Chapati or stuffed unleavened like Parathas. The default bread of choice is Roti and Parathas. There are very few days when I make Naan at home. It is just what we grew up eating.. more unleavened breads(roti, paratha) at home and Naan outside in restaurants. The naans in Indian restaurants though are very likely to be non vegan. I've posted naan bread long before on the blog, using yogurt and butter/ghee and it was time to veganize it!

Also, check out my post about glutenfree steamed Naan flat bread.

Below are some videos on how to make some of the indian flat breads. Though the recipes in the videos are not vegan,, videos help with the steps and technique

Roti

Paratha stuffed with Cauliflower

Naan (oven baked)

Also see a couple of different methods to make Naan at Ecurry here(no video).

Naan Pictures are from different days, most made on stove top, some Thick to serve as pita bread, some thin and charred and some stuffed!

Pictured below. Naan Stuffed with grated cauliflower

This post was sitting in the Drafts for too long, mainly because I wanted to make better naans, take more pictures, perfect the thing and so on. Well finally I decided that these Naans are good enough.. for me.. super great according to hubbs.. really I should listen to him more:).

I make a couple of variations of the Naan dough.. One is my Vegan dinner roll dough recipe (which will yield 6-7 naans) and the other one is using Avocados instead of the non dairy yogurt. Both Naans come out nice and soft, but I am a bit partial to the Avocado one. Of course it looks green:), but is so amazingly soft and stays soft forever!

For a Glutenfree version See here

Pictured below, Avocado Naan.

Cooking time depends on the oven and pan used. You will have a better idea after making the first Naan in terms of how you like yours, cooked to a dark char spots or golden like a pita.

Naan- Indian flat bread
Allergy Information: Dairy, egg, corn free recipe. Can be made soy and nut free.

You can make these with all bread flour or all Wheat flour. I usually dont put more than half whole wheat flour.

For 4-5 Naans
Ingredients:

2+ cups flour( I used 1.5 cups bread flour and 0.5 cups whole wheat flour)

1.5 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons raw sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons Oil (I use a combination of coconut and olive or organic canola)

3 tablespoons Soy yogurt or Cashew Yogurt Or Coconut milk yogurt... Or 4 Tablespoons Mashed Avocado mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

3/4 cup lukewarm water

Seeds for topping: Nigella(Kalonji), black Sesame(til), Carom(Ajwain)

Directions:

Dissolve active dry yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and let it sit for 10 minutes or until frothy.

Add salt and baking powder to 2 cups flour and mix well.

Add the oil and yogurt Or avocado and mix into the flour.

Add the water/yeast mixture and knead. Add a 1/4 cup water at a time to make into soft dough.

Knead for 5-6 minutes until smooth and non sticky. Place in greased container, spritz top with oil and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled.

Knead the dough for a minute, use a little flour to help reduce stickyness, and divide the dough into 5 equal parts.

Take each piece of dough, one at a time, and roll/shape into 8-inch oval shape. Dust lightly with flour to help with the rolling.

Cook:

Oven Method:

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F with pizza stone for at least half an hour.

Next turn the oven to high broil.

Before putting the Naan in oven, pat some sesame or nigella seeds on the top. Lightly spritz/spray the naan on both sides with water and place onto your baking/pizza stone into the oven.

Bake 2-3 minutes till it puffs and top gets golden.

Serve hot, topped with vegan butter or olive oil.

Stove top:

Use any large pan/skillet which can withstand high heat. Heat it on medium high heat until hot.

Pat some nigella, sesame or carom seeds on top and spritz the bottom with a little water.

Place the naan with bottom on the pan.

Cover and let cook on medium high till it starts to puff.

Flip after 1-1.5 minutes, and cook for half a minute( for pita style)

If you like a charred Naan, then instead of flipping to cook the other side, hold the uncooked side of Naan over the flame with tongs for a few seconds to cook and char some spots.

Serve hot, topped with vegan butter or olive oil with any Indian curry, Daal lentils, vegetables, salad and pickle.

For garlic Naan:

Press finely chopped garlic and cilantro on the top along with the seeds of choice and roll the rolling pin over it, so everything gets embedded in the dough and then proceed with the cooking step as above.

Pictured below- inside of the Stuffed Naan.

Stuffed Naan:

Stuffing( can be any stuffing you use in Parathas.. some grated veggies, herbs and spices)!

Pictured stuffing

1.5-2 cups Grated cauliflower

1 green chili chopped

1 teaspoon ginger grated

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black salt(kala namak)

1/2 teaspoon carom seeds(ajwain)

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Add 1/2 cup finely chopped greens like spinach, Kale, Chard to amp up the nutrition.

Mix everything and use. If the stuffing feels too damp, you can dry roast it for 2 minutes or microwave for a minute so the veggies absorb the moisture. The moisture is not a problem in Naans, but creates rolling problems when used for parathas(unleavened flat bread), because the dough is rolled quite thin.

Other stuffing ideas: mashed boiled potatoes, grated broccoli, zucchini, potato mixed with Beet, potato and Kale/spinach, grated radish, squash and lots more.

For Stuffed Naan:

Roll out the dough into a circle and place the stuffing like a calzone on one side, half inch away from the edge.

Apply a little water on the edge, Fold the other side and seal. press edges well.

Roll out this semicircle a little to form an oval and also distribute the stuffing.

Proceed to cook like regular Naan above.

Phew long post.. I had my dentist appointment yesterday.. darn these cavity prone teeth.. so been eating soups and daals since then, and super bored of it.. now thinking of what else to eat! Hope you all are having super fun last few days of 2011!

The Naan got featured on Glamour.com!

This Naan is heading to Hearth and Soul Blog hop, Slightly indulgent Tuesdays, Rickis' wellness weekend and Susan's Yeastspotting.