I know, I know. Easy? Naan? Made on a stovetop? And that too without yeast? It IS possible. And the result is heavenly – soft, fluffy, chewy and utterly delicious.
I know a lot of people who love and enjoy cooking… but life interferes and doesn’t give much time to be dedicated to experimenting in the kitchen.
That’s changed now, and it’s a delight. You not only have time to make all the things that got slotted in the “one-day” category but also get to relieve stress.
The easy stovetop no yeast naan is my contribution to these experiments in the kitchen.
If you love working with hands and find it meditative to make beautiful meals, the stovetop naan is your cup of tea. But whatever may be your reason to be in the kitchen, I say, try the naan anyhow. It is honestly easy to make, and it instantly lifts up your dinner or lunch and satisfies that hankering of “bahar ka khana.”
How to Make an Easy Stovetop Naan Without Yeast?
For all readers who aren’t automatically salivating at the word naan, it is leavened flatbread that is traditionally baked in a clay oven called tandoor. It is astonishingly soft and pillowy that the teeth just sink in and I can’t even begin to put its melody of flavours in words.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get right to it.
In a bowl, combine all-purpose, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of baking soda. Pour in plain yogurt along with some water to knead the dough.
Making the easy stovetop naan dough
Naan dough doesn’t require strenuous kneading. With gentle movements, within five to six minutes, you will have a nice, smooth and soft ball of dough. Brush some oil on it, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for an hour to leaven.
If you have always-hungry kids at home (like mine), 30 minutes should suffice too. Once the clock strikes, divide into equal portions. My dough was enough to make 4 big naans or 7 small ones; I chose the latter.
Rolling the no yeast stovetop naan
Take an equal portion and pat it into a slightly oblong shape with your fingers. Sprinkle a few nigella seeds (kalonji) on top and then with a pin roll out the dough.
It doesn’t need to be a perfect round, that’s the beauty of naan. Just make sure that the nigella seeds are slightly embedded.
Cooking the naan on the stovetop
While you’re rolling the naan dough, put a griddle on the stovetop. Once it is hot, place the naan on it seed side-up. Within a minute or two, you’ll begin to see the naan bubbling up beautifully.
Take a tong and flip the naan. Let this side cook for about 3 to 4 minutes and then flip it one last time.
How do you know the stovetop naan is done? When the bubbly side is charred to a golden-brown and has teeny-weeny blisters.
Serving the Easy Stovetop No Yeast Naan
My personal recommendation is to savour the naam warm. The taste is a gastronomic wonder. Take it off the griddle, brush it with copious butter (for that awesome taste), sprinkle with freshly chopped mint or cilantro and dig in!
Variations
Basic naan is more than enough to be the saviour of all meals and enlivener of curries. But if your stomach wants all the jazz, go ahead, spread some chopped garlic or fresh cilantro on top. Stuff it with cheese or sprinkle grated cheese to make a naan pizza base or cheese toast.
For the vegan version, switch the plain curd with any plant-based yogurt. With the flour, go full whole wheat if that’s your preference.
You can even bake the naan instead of cooking it on a griddle (tawa). That said, I preferred the stovetop version personally. But I will keep experimenting with the baked one and keep you posted here.
What I love about the stovetop no yeast naan is that it is an easy way out to ordering food. And once the dough is ready, it hardly takes 20 minutes to make. Plus, it can be relished as a snack, served with curry or a side to a hot bowl of dal. It pairs deliciously with literally everything!
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Easy Stovetop Naan
Ingredients
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Wholewheat flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp Sugar/honey
- 1/4 cup Plain yogurt
- 1/4 -1/3 cup Water, for kneading the dough
- 1/2 tsp Oil, for spreading on the kneaded dough
- 2 tsp Kalonji/ Onion seeds/ Nigella seeds You can use sesame or melon seeds too.
- 2-3 tbsp Melted butter to brush on top of naan
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine both the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Mix in the yogurt and knead the dough using water. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes. If it's too sticky, add some flour, if it's too dry add some water or extra yogurt. You should get a smooth soft dough,
- Rub a little oil over the ready dough, cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 7 equal-sized balls. Flour the work surface. Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten the dough a bit. Sprinkle the onion seeds on top. Roll out into an oval shape.
- Heat a tawa or a griddle pan, place the rolled out naan on it, seed side should face up.
- Let it cook for a minute till you see bubbles on the surface. Now flip the naan and let it cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. It will get a bit puffy.
- Once cooked, take it off the heat and brush liberally with melted butter. Sprinkle some chopped cilantro leaves on top if you wish. Serve hot. Enjoy!
