Naan (Leavened Flatbreads) With Mixed Seeds (India)

Recipe Ingredients

1/2		Unsalted butter - (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon	5ml	Active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Sugar
1 tablespoon	15ml	Warm water - (105 to 115 deg f.)
2 1/2 cups	156g / 5.5oz	Unbleached all-purpose flour - (to 3 1/4 c.)
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Baking soda
1 teaspoon	5ml	Salt
2 teaspoons	10ml	Black poppy seeds
1/2 cup	118ml	Warm milk - (105 - 115 deg f.)
1/2 cup	118ml	Plain whole-milk yogurt - , at room temperature
1/3 cup	20g / 0.7oz	Onion - , finely chopped
1 cup	198g / 7oz	Egg - , beaten lightly (large)
1 1/2 tablespoons	22ml	Mixed seeds - such as nigella, sesame seeds and/or white poppy seeds
		Coarse salt for sprinkling

Recipe Instructions

YIELD: Makes 4 large naan.

MAKE AHEAD: Naan may be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely before being kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature. Reheat naan, uncovered, on a baking sheet in a 475 degree F. oven until bottoms are slightly crisp, about 2 minutes.

PREPARATION: Melt butter. In a small bowl stir together yeast, sugar, and water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Into a large bowl sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black poppy seeds. In another bowl stir together milk, yogurt, onion, and 2 tablespoons butter. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add yeast mixture, milk mixture, and egg, stirring until a soft and sticky dough is formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead for about 10 minutes, add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour to form a soft but not sticky dough. Form dough into a ball and put in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Set oven rack to lowest position and PREHEAT oven to 500 degrees F. Lightly oil a heavy baking sheet (preferably black metal). Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and quarter it. Roll out each quarter into a 1/8-inch-thick oval (12 inches long and 5 inches wide). Let dough stand, covered with a kitchen towel, 10 minutes. While dough is standing, heat baking sheet 10 minutes. In a bowl stir together remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons black poppy seeds with remaining seeds. Remove sheet from oven and immediately put 1 oval on it. Brush top of oval with some melted butter and sprinkle with one-fourth (1/4) of seed mixture and some salt.

Bake loaf in oven until edges are golden brown and bread bubbles (top will be an uneven golden brown), about 4 minutes. Keep naan warm, loosely covered with foil. Make more loaves, 1 at a time, in same manner without preheating baking sheet (it will already be hot).

Source:
Best of Gourmet 1998

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