Where is naan bread originally from

We Indians are perfectly adept at turning any of our flatbreads, by which I mean roti, chapatti, paratha, naan or kulcha, into a roll or taco or burrito in an instant with as little a filling as a generous layer of ghee clarified butter , cream, sugar et al. Yet, if there is one single flatbread that has been the front runner in terms of addictiveness across India is the Naan.

Developed around 2, years ago, Naan originated by virtue of an experiment, after the arrival of yeast in India from Egypt where the yeast was being used to brew beer and make leavened breads since BC. However, in India, the breads were mostly chapattis and thick rotis that could survive for at least a week and were developed during the Harappan culture, when wheat was also cultivated.

But it took the civilization another odd years to come up with a tandoor-based fermented bread variation. Due to its pairing with Mughlai and North Frontier cuisine, many believe Naan, like kebabs that came from Persia, was developed by the Persians and the Mughals. However, the first recorded history of Naan found in the notes of the Indo-Persian poet Amir Kushrau, dates this unleavened bread to AD. Then Naan was cooked at the Imperial Court in Delhi as naan-e-tunuk light bread and naan-e-tanuri cooked in a tandoor oven.

During the Mughal era in India from around , Naan accompanied by keema or kebab was a popular breakfast food of the royals. For most part of the glorious independent India, Naan, due to its kneading technique and use of yeast, which at that time was limited to the richer section of the society, remained a delicacy that was made in royal households and those of nobles. And though there are sparing mentions of the naan reaching the common man by the end of the s, Naan did remain, and still does, a specialised art that only a few were privy to, and fewer mastered it.

What however the naan did was help develop yet another common yet lovable flatbread on the culinary table — the tandoori roti made of the dough of maida and atta in the common tandoor. Another invention that naan initiated was that of a kulcha.

Made using self raising flour with raising agents like baking soda, it almost replicated naan in its chewiness and soft bite. Plus it was easy to cook on a tawa or a brick kiln, which made it easily accessible to the masses and royalty.

And while this led to its popularity in North of India — unlike Naan which did reach Southern India but remained in the confines of the royalty — it also spewed a whole new era of innovation.

Cooking Naan into a standard oven it is not easy, because it's not possible to reach the high temperatures as into the Tandoori oven.

So, I suggest you to use a cast iron skillet as described in the recipe. Thank you for a simple recipe, it was illustrated perfectly! We absolutely love Naan bread, but it isn't the same when you buy it verses getting it fresh! Thank you for the history lesson. Much appreciated. Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Email Facebook Instagram Pinterest. Jump to Recipe. Continue to Content. Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes. Cook Time 20 minutes. Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes.

Comments I was looking for an easy recipe to do this kind of bread. It works!!!! Happy cooking! Thanx very much for this recipe and the history. Thanks Chasity! First time cooking naan and it turned out beautiful. Definitely keeping this recipe.

Baking soda bicarbonate of soda and dry yeast are used in the dough, made mainly of flour, to give it the correct texture and consistency. The dough is baked in a tandoor, which is over 1.

The base is filled with charcoal and the fire in the oven can reach a maximum temperature of about degrees Celsius. The dough is then shaped into balls and flattened into pancakes before one side is pulled to form a teardrop shape.

The flattened dough is then plastered onto the inside walls of the tandoor. It takes slightly under three minutes for the naan to bake. The chef then skillfully manipulates two skewers to retrieve the naan from the tandoor.

One skewer scrapes the naan away from the wall of the tandoor while the other is used to hook the naan out. The cooked naan is served whole or cut in half, and is usually eaten with curries, tandoori chicken or vegetables. It should be eaten fresh and oven-hot. Author Suchitthra Vasu References 1. New Straits Times.