Garlic & Coriander Naan Bread (Vegan)
Anyone who has ever been to my house and seen my spice cupboard will know that I'm a HUGE fan of all things Indian in the kitchen!
This is my version of one of my favourite Indian breads. I've loved naan bread even since I first tasted it, and the shop bought ones are rarely very good so I decided it was time for a good quality vegan recipe to make at home.
After a little research, I came up with this recipe which is always a hit.
This recipe doesn't use yeast, so it's quick to make and useful for anyone who can't tolerate yeast.
I use soya yoghurt for this recipe, but you should be able to substitute for a different plant-based yoghurt if you can't eat soya. You can actually omit this ingredient entirely, but the yoghurt makes for much fluffier and more moist breads so it's well worth adding.
The nigella seeds are the secret ingredient here that give these breads their authentic flavour, so these are well worth investing in if you don't have any. A small container lasts a long time!
I also like to be a bit of a purist and use vegetable ghee for this recipe. It can be easily obtained from your local Asian shop or online retailer. It adds a real something to the flavour and lasts a long time too.
These are very filling so my other half and I can normally only manage one each. Luckily these keep until the next day very well.
Makes 4 good sized naan breads
Ingredients
9oz / 255g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Nigella Seeds
1 tsp Dried Coriander (Cilantro)
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
150ml Water
2 tbsp Vegetable Ghee plus extra for greasing
1 tbsp Soya Plain Yoghurt
Method
Sift together the flour, baking powder and add the salt, nigella seeds, coriander and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently until evenly combined.
Next, add the water, ghee and yoghurt and mix to form a soft dough.
Divide the mixture into 4 balls
Roll each one out on a floured surface and shape to the classic "bicycle saddle" form (you don't have to do this, but it makes it look extra authentic!)
Preheat a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat and lightly grease with ghee.
Cook for 1-2 minutes - the bread with bubble and rise a bit. Turn over and cook until there are brown spots but don't allow it to burn! These need to be cooked at quite a hot temperature, so keep an eye on them the whole time whilst cooking.
Place onto a preheated plate to stay warm, and brush with some melted ghee (optional.) Repeat until all 4 flatbreads have been cooked.
Serve immediately with your favourite curry, chutneys and pickles.
If you wish to keep these for the next day, allow to cool slightly then place in a sealed container so they don't dry out.
