Garlicky Grilled Naan

I don't know where naan has been all my life, but I'm glad it finally found its way to me.  I'm determined to make up for lost time now.

Usually, when I buy naan in the store it's...puffy.  Puffier than what I make on my grill pan.  I once baked this and it puffed up like crazy and was very pretty...but I didn't like it nearly as much as I like this.  It's traditionally baked in a tandoori oven, but...my tandoori oven is in the shop (or something).  So the grill pan it is.  But no worries - I would eat my grilled garlicky naan with anything.  Don't like the garlic? Leave it out! Simple!

When grilling, look for bubbles to form on the top of the dough.  This will tell you that the dough is almost ready to be flipped - you'll be able to tell for sure when your tongs can be slid under the bread easily.

Good thing it goes so well with...everything.  Especially chicken tikka masala, which needs a bit of bread to (a) sop up all the delicious sauce and (b) offset the spiciness which hits you in the back of your throat like a sneaky spice ninja.

Plus, the best part: It's super easy to make.  I wouldn't lie to you.

For the dough:

1 1/2 tsps dry yeast

1 cup warm water (around 110 degrees F, no more than 120!)

1 1/2 tsps sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

6 tbsps clarified butter, or ghee (I didn't have any on hand, so I used plain melted)

3 tbsps yogurt (I use Greek)

Garlic Spread:

1/2 stick butter

2 garlic cloves, pressed

In a large bowl (use the stand mixer bowl if you're lucky enough to have one!), pour in the yeast and sugar, then add the warm water.  Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes - it should be frothy.  If it does not froth, either the yeast is too old and therefore no longer active, or the water you used was not the correct temperature.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.  Set aside.

To the frothy yeast mixture, add the yogurt and butter and mix gently.  Then add the flour/salt.  Using a large spoon (and/or your fingers) or the bread hook of your stand mixture, mix until a soft dough comes together.  Then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is elastic and smooth (or, again, use your stand mixer).  Form dough into a ball.  Coat the inside of a large bowl with a few drops of vegetable oil or sprays of cooking spray and place the dough inside. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.

Once dough is risen, punch down and knead once again for 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 6 balls.

Heat grill pan over medium high heat.  

Roll each ball of dough out on counter into a circle - not too thin, as you don't want it to rip.  Transfer each dough round (oblong?), one at a time, to the hot grill pan.  As soon as tongs can slide underneath, flip dough.

Meanwhile, add garlic to butter and melt in microwave - garlic will become very fragrant and softened.  To keep bread warm, stack on aluminum foil with a generous amount garlic butter brushed in between layers.  Once all bread is grilled, wrap stack in foil and keep in warm oven until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

We were thinking about serving this with pasta - just like garlic bread! What else would you eat with garlicky naan?

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