Naan is the bread of the Mughal courts โ leavened, pillowy, and kissed by the fierce heat of a clay tandoor oven. The word itself comes from the Persian for "bread," and for centuries it was reserved for royalty, baked by skilled artisans who slapped the dough against the scorching walls of a tandoor at over 480ยฐC.
Today, garlic naan is the undisputed king of the Indian bread basket โ soft, charred in places, fragrant with roasted garlic and fresh coriander, and finished with a generous brush of melted butter. It is the perfect vehicle for every curry, dal, and tikka on the table.
Without a tandoor, a screaming-hot cast iron skillet or griddle is your best friend โ the key is maximum heat, minimum time, and a dough enriched with yoghurt for that signature softness and slight tang.
The dough must prove until doubled โ at least 1 hour. A rushed prove produces dense, chewy naan with no air pockets. Patience here is everything. Also: your pan must be smoking hot before the first naan goes in โ if it sizzles immediately on contact, you're ready.
Combine 7g dried yeast with 1 tsp sugar and 150ml warm water (not hot โ 38ยฐC). Stir gently and leave for 10 minutes until frothy and fragrant. If it doesn't foam, your yeast is dead โ start again with fresh yeast.
In a large bowl, combine 400g strong white flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking powder. Add the yeast mixture, 150g full-fat yoghurt, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, and 1 beaten egg. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out and knead for 8โ10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or cling film, and leave in a warm place for 1โ1.5 hours until doubled in size. A cold oven with just the light on works perfectly as a proving drawer.
While the dough proves, melt 80g unsalted butter in a small pan over low heat. Add 4 finely minced garlic cloves and cook gently for 2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured. Remove from heat and stir in a generous handful of finely chopped fresh coriander. Set aside.
Punch down the proved dough and divide into 8 equal portions (roughly 90g each). On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a teardrop or oval shape, approximately 3โ4mm thick. Don't overwork โ a slightly uneven shape is authentic and beautiful.
Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy griddle over maximum heat until smoking. Place one naan in the dry pan โ no oil needed. Cook for 1.5โ2 minutes until large bubbles form and the underside is charred in spots. Flip and cook for a further 1 minute. The char is not a mistake โ it is the flavour.
Immediately brush each hot naan generously with the garlic-coriander butter. Stack them under a clean tea towel to keep warm and soft while you cook the remaining naans. Serve immediately alongside your favourite curry, dal, or tikka.
The pan must be smoking hot โ this is non-negotiable. Lower heat produces pale, doughy naan with no char. Cast iron retains heat best; a thin pan will cool too quickly.
Full-fat yoghurt gives the dough its signature softness and slight tang. Low-fat yoghurt produces a tougher, less flavourful bread. Don't substitute.
Garlic powder is not acceptable here. Freshly minced garlic cooked gently in butter produces a sweet, mellow, deeply aromatic flavour that powder simply cannot replicate.
The proved dough can be refrigerated overnight after the first prove. Cold-proved dough actually develops more flavour. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping and cooking.