Sourdough Naan

~ Tandy

Using an active sourdough starter, I made these sourdough naan. These made enough for 4 people so feel free to reduce or double the recipe, depending on your needs.

Sourdough Naan
Sourdough Naan

Skip ahead to the recipe for Sourdough Naan 

Let’s talk about naan

Whenever we go out for Indian food, we always order naan bread to go with the meal. So, when Dave made chicken curry for a dinner with my parents, I decided to go ahead and make this flatbread. I wanted to use my very active sourdough starter, and I was really pleased with the results. This leavened bread can be baked in a tandoor, or oven baked. I used a frying pan, and still managed to achieve the golden-brown spots one associates with naan. They were light and fluffy as they should be and were brushed with niter kibbeh, which I have in my fridge. You can use ghee or butter if that is all you have. I used bread flour and yoghurt and let the stand mixer do all the work. They were made in advance, and not served warm.

Things that leave a sour taste in your mouth

I am always the person who goes along to get along. A while back, a friend was in town for a fleeting visit. Months ahead of time, we had ironed out our plans. She had asked that I collect her from the airport and run some errands with her. Then the following morning she would see another friend before the two of us had some girl time. I had made arrangements for the trip back to the airport to include lunch at one of my favourite places. But, the night before, she let me know she had made plans with someone else for lunch. Meaning we had to rush in the morning to get back to Cape Town. I felt very pushed aside, but took the path of least resistance and said nothing. Would you have said anything?

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Sourdough Naan

You can serve these warm, as is traditional, or make them ahead of time and serve at room temperature
Recipe Category: Asian, Bread
Makes enough for: 8 naan
All Rights Reserved: An original recipe from Lavender and Lime

Ingredients

  • 420 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 114 g thick yoghurt
  • 114 g active sourdough starter
  • 114 g water, plus extra in a spray bottle
  • 33 g ghee, melted, plus extra for coating and brushing
  • 6.25 mls fine salt
  • 2.5 mls fructose
  • flaked salt for sprinkling

Method

  • Place the flour, yoghurt, starter, water, ghee, salt and fructose into a stand mixer bowl
  • Use a dough hook to bring the dough together, then knead for 5 minutes
  • Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to shape the dough into a ball
  • Coat with some melted ghee then place into a bowl
  • Cover and leave to prove until doubled in size
  • Tip the dough out and divide into 8 x 100g pieces
  • Roll each piece into a tight ball, dust with flour and voer with a dish cloth
  • Leave to rise for 30 minutes before rolling each piece out into a 16cm circle
  • Heat a large cast iron pan over a medium to high temperature
  • Spray one side of the naan with water and place moistened side down onto the pan, and cook for 2 minutes 30 seconds
  • Flip and cook for a further 2 minutes and 30 seconds, then remove from the pan and brush the top with melted ghee *
  • Sprinkle with flaked salt and set aside until all have been cooked

Notes

* I used niter kibbeh on some and melted confit garlic butter on others
See the links below for blog posts I published on May 7:

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Published by Tandy

I am passionate about using regional, seasonable and sustainable produce when I cook. I live in Gordons Bay with my husband and dogs. We visit new places locally and overseas as often as we can to experience the food of the area. Follow along on our adventures!

27 thoughts on “Sourdough Naan”

  1. The bread looks absolutely fabulous – healthy ingredients . . . and tho’ taking awhile to do make, undoubtedly delicious. As far as your visitor goes – no, I would not have said anything . . . it would not have changed the situation > now you just quietly know without open unpleasantness . . .

    Reply

  2. Now that is some gorgeous char you got there! I could eat naan everyday with zero complaints. If only someone could make it for me like this. 😉

    Reply

  7. You are using your sourdough to full advantage Tandy. The naan looks delicious. I probably wouldn’t have said anything either to your friend.

    Reply

  8. I don’t think your friend treated you very well. Had that happened to me, I wouldn’t have said anything, but then I wouldn’t have accommodated that friend again in the future. The entitlement of visitors gets on my nerves. Meanwhile, your Naan looks delicious.

    Reply

  10. Hi Tandy, as you know I am a giver and this is the sort of thing people do to me. I have a tipping point and when lines are crossed I take very drastic action including ending one way friendships. I don’t seem to have a moderate bone in my body 😂🤣

    Reply

  11. oh dear these things with friends can be so fraught. I am too chicken to say anything but i would not put myself out again to accomodate them. I have a problem atm with a friend who has not checked in once about hubby’s illness and treatment. So i am really hurt by it but what do you do? You can’t make people care … so bloody sad. Your naan sounds great btw.
    sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/

    Reply
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