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Indian Naan Bread















Ingredients

Quantity
Active dry yeast
1 tbsp
Warm water
1 ½ cups
Sugar
5 tsp
Beaten egg, scant
2 tbsp
Melted butter or vegetable oil
2 tbsp
Heavy or 15%cream – room temperature
 ¾ cup
Milk – room temperature
¼ cup
Bread flour
2 cups
Unbleached all purpose flour
4 cups
Baking powder 
2 ½ tsp
Baking soda
½ tsp
Salt
1 ¾ cup


Notes:   This recipe is adapted from the one generously shared by Montreal's Indian Restaurant landmark - The Bombay Palace. The original serves about 900! Rustic, chewy, addictive - this is perfect for a mountain of tandoori chicken or just about any main dish. In a large mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook (or use bread machine), whisk together the yeast, water, and l teaspoons of the sugar. Whisk in remaining sugar, egg and oil. Then stir in cream and milk and most of the flour (reserve one cup), baking powder and salt. Stir to make a soft dough. Attach dough hook (or knead by hand) and knead to make a soft, supple dough, adding more flour (probably will use entire 6 cups called for), as required, 10-15 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled plastic bag and let rest until doubled or refrigerate overnight. Allow to come to room temperature before using (bread will rise up as it warms).

Alternatively, keep dough refrigerated up to four days. Break dough off in pieces around the size of a grapefruit. Let rest a minute, then roll into rounds about the size of a large hand. Stretch gently lengthwise and sideways to make a teardrop slab of bread. Continue with remaining dough. Place dough slabs on a cookie sheet and cover with a tea towel and let rest 10-15 minutes. Preheat gas grill to hottest temperature (about 500 degrees F) Throw some naan slabs on grill and put cover down, Bake until dough puffs up, around 3-5 minutes. Using tongs, turn over bread to cook other side, about 3-4 minutes. Dough may look unevenly scorched in parts but this is okay. Serve immediately, or cover in foil and keep warm on the warming section of the grill.