Soft & Chewy Naan (Tandoor Flatbread)

What is Tandoor flatbread?

Tandoor bread is any type of bread traditionally cooked in a tandoor, a clay oven that uses intense, direct heat. Naan, a popular variety of tandoor flatbread, falls under this category, characterized by its soft, pillowy texture and slight char from the high-heat . Other variations of tandoor flatbreads may be rolled or tossed much thinner or thicker than a typical naan. Regardless, one thing all these flatbreads have in common is that signature smoky tandoor favour.

What ingredients needed to make soft & chewy naan

There's a delicate balance of ingredients that come together to create naan that is soft & chewy with the potential for slight crispy-ness on those raised up bubbles.. Get the ratio of liquid off or leave out some ingredients and you may end up with a dry tough dough that doesn't quite resemble that gorgeous fluffy flatbread you find at restaurants. Here's what goes into this recipe for fluffy flatbread:

• Water: hydrates the dough
• Sugar: don't think this makes the bread sweet- it helps soften the dough
• Yeast: gives us fluffy bread with tiny little bubbles that rise while cooking
• Yogurt: Keeps the dough soft & pillowy
• Salt: all good things need a little salt
• All-purpose flour: an essential ingredient for all things bread
• Olive oil: Helps moisten the dough & improves browning
• Ghee: for that intense buttery flavour

Hand stretched vs. rolling pin?

When it comes top stretching the dough into whatever shape your heart desires, you have two options: hand tossing/stretching or a rolling pin.

Hand stretched: When the dough is stretched or tossed by hand air bubbles are preserved. This creates a lighter, airier, chewy-er texture with a finished bread that presents with a more rustic, artisanal look. I personally find this the best method for pizza and flatbreads. Anyway, why dirty up a rolling pin if you don't have too, right?

Rolling: Using a rolling pin to flatten the dough gives it a uniform thickness. This method may seem easier or more beginner friendly, hence why it's a go-to for many. I find rolling best suited when consistent results are needed for the thickness of a dough, perhaps like when making ravioli.

How to cook the perfect chewy naan at home

Naan is typically cooked in a tandoor oven which is a traditional clay oven often used in south asian, middle eastern and central asian cooking. It's a large upright, cylindrical container heated by charcoal or wood. The walls of this oven absorb and retain heat and the temperature can go up to 900°F. These high temperatures cook bread extremely quickly, evenly and gives it a signature char around those raised edges. Now, most of us don't have a tandoor ready to fire up at home, but there's a couple creative ways we can recreate a similar effect to cook the naan at home.

• Method 1: Bake on a preheated Ceramic stone or wire rack in the oven. These materials retain heat and depending on how hot your oven gets, the naan can cook exceptionally well. The only caveat with this method is that it can take at least an hour to heat the stone in your oven which may not be the most practical.

• Method 2: Cook in a hot pan on the stove top. a classic method that is probably the easiest and quickest. My only con with this method is I feel the dough doesn't always the most even cook/char- perhaps this is due to the flat nature of a pan.

• Method 3: Cook on a pan flipped upside down. Just pre-heat a large shallow pan that has excellent heat retention for about 10 minutes (this pan is my absolute favourite and one of my most-used). This is my preferred method because I find the dome shape of the flipped pan caters better to cooking all the edges of the bread more evenly and provides more consistent charring.

• Method 4: Cook using a special gadget like this pizza oven. I have used this product and while I enjoy the outcome, I find the pan more practical and useful to recommend. If you have the excess counter space and perhaps make pizza/fresh naan often, this may be a great option. Otherwise, a good heat conducting pan is going to deliver great results.

Storing & Reheating Naan

You can store the naan covered in a bread basket for 1-2 days. if storing for longer, place in a ziplock bag in the fridge for about 5-6 days. To reheat naan so it gets soft & fluffy again, place naan in a plate in the microwave. Wet a paper towel and squeeze out the water so it is damp then lay the damp paper towel over the bread and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Ways to enjoy this flatbread

To me, this is the my go-to flatbread dough recipe. The bread takes on a totally different vibe simply depending on how you stretch it. Stretch it out slightly thinner and more circular and you get a beautiful tandoor style flatbread perfect for sandwiches. Stretch the dough a little thicker and you have typical fluffy naan perfect for dipping. My favourite way to enjoy this bread for kebab sandwiches, Shawarmas and dipping into curries & stews.