Naan bread is a round flat bread made
of wheat flour, and is a ubiquitous accompaniment
to the hot savoury meals served all over
South and Central Asisa. Various types
of Naan cam be found from the Punjab to
Iran to Uzbekistan and countless places
in between.
The inhabitants of the near and middle
east have been making Naan for a very
long time. The 1st recorded historical
mention of Naan dates as far back as 1300
AD, found in documents from the Amir Khusrau.
Indian Naan bread like Naan-e-tanuk (light
bread) and naan-e-tanuri (cooked in a
tandoor oven) was apparently served at
that time in the imperial court in Delhi.
Naan was in Mughal times was a popular
breakfast food of the royals when accompanied
by kheema or kababs.
The average Naan bread recipe includes
white flour mixed with salt, yeast, and
yogurt (in order to make a smooth, pliable
dough). After the dough is kneaded for
a few minutes it is set aside for several
hours while it rises. Once the dough has
risen, it is divided into roughly equal-sized
balls weighing around 100 grams apiece,
which are then flattened into the usaul
Naan pear shape. Traditionally Naan is
cooked in a clay oven called a Tandoor.
Tandoori-style food is named for this
type of oven. Not every home has a tandoor,
of course, so a cast-iron frying pan without
oil can also be used to make Naan.
Naan bread will typically be served hot
and brushed with the clarified butter
called Ghee or with regular butter. Naan
can be used as an edible utensil for eating
other foods or served stuffed with any
number of fillings. Minced meat, nuts
and raisins, potatoes and other food stuffs
are not uncommon fillings. The dough is
often seasoned with numerous spices such
as cumin and nigella.
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