Naan

Naan has been baked in the clay tandoor ovens of North India for centuries, slapped against the hot walls until it puffs and blisters. Traders and travelers carried it across the region, and today it is the bread that completes nearly every Indian meal. The home version trades the tandoor for a screaming-hot skillet, but the result is just as soft, chewy, and impossible to resist.

Tandoori blisters, right in your kitchen

Each naan comes off the pan puffy and pillowy, with dramatic charred spots that carry a faint smoky flavor. Brushed with melted garlic butter and scattered with cilantro while still hot, it is soft enough to tear and sturdy enough to scoop up curry. There is no dipping, no folding, and no restraint once these hit the table. The dough is simple, but the yogurt and the hot pan give it that soft, chewy texture no store-bought bread can match. Leftover naan warms beautifully in a dry skillet for a minute.

Craving more? Explore all North Indian Kitchen recipes.

North Indian recipes →