Gluten-Free Naan
Posted by Aarti on March 17th, 2011 . Filed under: Uncategorized .
I had so much fun yesterday.
Why?
Because I spent a few hours, in my new clogs (love them! No back pain despite standing for 8 hours!), covered in flour, listening to the new Lykke Li, and making… NAAN!
This is something of a miracle. Why? Well, see, um, I didn’t grow up eating naan. That’s a NORTHERN thing. And I’m a proud SOUTHERNER. We ate rice. In fact, we had very little wheat growing up.
Speaking of which, one of you posted an interesting link to an article in The Times of India about how celiac and wheat allergies are being seen as impending epidemic in India. The apparent cause? Farmers growing a variety of wheat that our bodies can’t break down! I mean seriously. What good is it growing a form of wheat that more and more of us can’t eat?
Don’t get me started.
Where was I? Oh yeah. No naan growing up. As I was saying, it’s a bit of regional thing. People think of India as one homogeneous country, but don’t forget that (a) before England colonised India, it was a series of states, each with its own rulers (rajas) and traditions… and (b) India is a massive country. Think of the differences in food eaten in say, Louisiana as compared to Wisconsin. Pretty different right? Same thing in India.
All of this to say… I don’t have a family naan recipe. Which is pretty tragic because I truly love naan. Eating naan makes me proud to be Indian, as if I can lay claim to inventing the darned thing myself.
So, I tried every single danged recipe I could find, including the one furnished by my new “aunty” at The Samosa House. And I still couldn’t nail it. Until yesterday. Hallelujah people. Momma made herself some good naan!
Ah but then… but then… there was the gluten-free version. See, every time you guys asked for a gluten-free naan recipe, I winced a little.
Why?
Because how can you possibly recreate something as elastic and pillow-y as naan… when the very thing that makes it elastic is the thing that you’re allergic to?!
Now, I’m guessing that Shauna over at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef could probably figure out some alchemy that would come close, using an assortment of flours and seeds. And it would probably be better than this recipe. That’s because she’s a gluten-free genius, and one of the sweetest people I’ve “met” on these here intertubes. She and her husband are brilliant at recreating those bready delights we all miss. I’m often quite amazed at their tenacity and plain ol’ cooking smarts.
But here’s the thing: I’m lazy. I don’t have the time or the space for all those flours, and heck, until a few months ago, I wouldn’t have had the money for them either!
So here’s a simple recipe, that depends largely on cooking technique rather than ingredients to achieve a pretty tasty piece of naan.
For those of you who don’t know what naan is, it’s a little slice of South Asian heaven! You can find it in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and it’s often used to sop up all that curry that your fingers can’t scoop up. Naan is a pillowed flatbread, usually (but not always) made with yeast, that is cooked in a tandoor, a clay oven that achieves temperatures of 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
In fact, it’s those surface-of-the-sun types of temperatures that make recreating naan in our piddly little ovens so difficult. The dough doesn’t bubble in the same way, doesn’t char just so, doesn’t stay moist. Some recipes suggest cooking the dough in your oven (as hot as it can get) on a pizza stone. I’ve tried that method over and over again, and I end up with a dry, brittle and slightly undercooked bread. No good.
So here’s this method, which I consider even better because it requires nothing more than a rolling pin and your trusty cast iron skillet.
I hope you like it. It’s not the same as the gluten’d, tandoor’d version… but it’s still good eatin’. Enjoy! Oh, and if you’re looking for my regular naan recipe… it’ll be on Season 3 of Aarti Party!
Gluten-Free Naan
3/4 cup lukewarm water (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar, plus 1 teaspoon extra
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups of Gluten Free All Purpose Flour mix (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 1/4 teaspoon xantham gum
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Melted butter for slathering on the finished naans
1) In a large glass, dissolve dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar with warm water. Let it sit on your counter for about 10 minutes, or until it’s frothy.
2) Meanwhile, sift flour, xantham gum, salt, extra 1 teaspoon of sugar and baking powder into a large, deep bowl. Once yeast is frothy, stir oil and yogurt into the glass, and stir to combine. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the seeds if you’re using them, and using a fork, gently mix the ingredients together. When the dough is about to come together, use your hands. It will feel like there isn’t enough flour at first, but keep going until it transforms into a soft, slightly sticky and pliable dough. As soon as it comes together, stop kneading. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and let it sit in a warm, non-drafty place for 1 to 3 hours.
3) When you’re ready to roll, make sure you have two bowls on your counter: one with extra flour in it, and one with water. The dough will be extremely soft and sticky; this is good! Separate into 6 equal portions and lightly roll each one in the bowl of extra flour to keep them from sticking to each other.
4) To shape naan: either shape the naans with your fingertips, pushing each ball into a teardrop shape about 1/4″ thick. Or, using a rolling pan, roll each piece of dough into a teardrop shape, narrower at the top than at the bottom. It should be 8 to 9 inches long, 4 inches wide at its widest point and about ¼-inch thick. Once you’ve formed the general shape, you can also pick it up by one end and wiggle it; the dough’s own weight will stretch it out a little. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
5) Warm a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s nearly smoking; make sure you have a lid large enough to fit the skillet. Have bowl of melted butter at the ready.
6) Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and pick up one of your naans, flip-flopping it from one hand to the other to lightly dampen it. Gently lay it in the skillet, and set your timer for 1 minute. The dough should start to bubble.
7) After 1 minute, flip the naan. If it has blackened, don’t worry – that’s typical of traditional naan! Cover the skillet, and cook 1 more minute.
8) Remove from the skillet, brush with butter, sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt, and place it in a tea towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naans and serve.
-x-
aarti
March 17th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Oh, bless you, Aarti! Now I can have some virtuous bread without feeling like I’m poisoning myself. Been praying you’d have a naan breakthrough. And thank You, Lord, too!
March 18th, 2011 at 4:44 am
Thank you! My son can not have gluten (severe allergies) so this is a blessing for us. God bless you for sharing this. You’ve made a young man happy.
March 18th, 2011 at 5:41 am
So fabulous, thank you! We are making this today & hope we get to cross another thing off our gluten-free “wish list”!
March 18th, 2011 at 6:14 am
As good as the naan looks, I’m more intrigued by those clogs. They are gorgeous and would love something that doesn’t have my back killing after working on my feet all day.
March 18th, 2011 at 6:43 am
Ah! THankyou SO much! I’ve tried every possible recipe online (incuding the crazy one in which you upturn a pressure cooker on top of a stove and use it as a makeshift kiln- still scrubbing the burn stains off my pressure cooker!) but this one looks really do-able!
Trying it out rightaway!
March 18th, 2011 at 7:20 am
Aarti – I’m so glad you read that article. Crazy stuff. Same day WSJ posted another great article (w/ video) if you haven’t seen yet: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704893604576200393522456636.html Another must read!
The naan looks great! I am even lazier & used Chebe packets. Just 1 packet + oil + 2 eggs + liquid + any herbs/spices. The leavener is already in there. Check out my blog post w/ importance of order of addition w/ Chebe: http://thesensitiveepicure.blogspot.com/2010/09/its-all-about-how-you-make-it-chebe.html
xoxo, Erin
March 18th, 2011 at 7:25 am
And you’re a girl after my own heart.
I just love Lykke Li. I’m can’t wait for the new Peter, Bjorn, & John: Gimme Some to come out (March 29th).
I cannot work in the kitchen or lab w/o my Sanita clogs! Love them. On that note, I leave w/ a preview of PB&J’s new album “Breaker, breaker” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG5nEcnDU38
March 18th, 2011 at 9:18 am
OMG!!! Thank you so much for this. Since going GF we have missed naan so much. I can’t wait to try this out.
March 18th, 2011 at 10:27 am
It must suck to have food allergies for something like gluten or lactose which is practically found everywhere in grocery stores
I have a thing for peanut butter, but everytime I have any serving of peanuts or almonds, my face breaks out into a crazed frenzy of pimples. Weird right?? Oh, the consequences we undergo for food. Hope you have a lovely day, Aarti!
March 18th, 2011 at 11:31 am
This sounds very interesting!
Thought naan isn’t Southern, I will be travelling to Bangalore in May and would be very interested to know if you have any recommendations of restaurants or foods specific to the region that we should not miss!
March 18th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Hi Aarti!
I am so happy that you are blogging and adding some recipes but I miss you on your show. When is the new season starting?
I made your beef vidaloo and chicken tikka masala and my husband and I LOVED them both. Please come back soon!!!
March 18th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
I have to say I have avoided Naan bread for a long time now. But thanks to you not anymore. I shall be cranking un my oven shortly! Thanks!
Angie
March 18th, 2011 at 2:27 pm
very interesting! especially that all over the world there’s such a difference in food North to South, as in the States. ferinstance… when i made ‘cornbread’ for my southern friends with one fellow Yankie at the table, i was put down for making it sweet. (in the North we add sweet creamed corn to our cornbread. a sin in the South, apparently.) i always just attributed the geological palate here to the age old battle between the Yanks and the Confederates from the Civil War (living between Ohio and Nashville, TN, trust me i had to prove myself for years down South to be ‘part of the group’.) But your post here plus my recent tour thru Northern and Southern Italy that proved much the same differences North to South… all vying their’s the ‘perfect’ way makes me very curious why these battles? hmmmm….. going to contemplate. it’s all about fiercely protecting emotional memory from childhood is what i’m thinking……
March 18th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
oh, and P.S. forgot to conclude on above post that the one yank at the table defended me. said that cornbread exactly how his mama made it in New Jersey! too funny.
March 18th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Hi Aarti,
I’m so glad you are back to blogging. To me that means you are finding moments out of the kitchen. I want to try the NAAN, but I can take gluten. Did you do a regular wheat recipe as well????
I’m still so hung up on the ‘massaged Kale salad’ it has almost become a staple, and everyone that walks in the house has to try it. All have wanted the ‘how to’.
Sunday mornings aren’t much fun since your season ended. Can’t wait for the next one. Maybe I will see my cups and spoons. (ha-ha)
March 18th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Wow–Thanks Aarti-you are just the best–thanks for giving us this recipe—
March 19th, 2011 at 12:39 am
Hi Aarti! speaking of Gluten free flour, I always wanted to try out Pamela brand, check it out…. I saw great rating on amazon and i have seen these at sprouts. one bag of AP flour last me half year, haven’t get a chance to try gluten free version..
March 19th, 2011 at 9:06 am
Hey Aarti,
First off congratulations on being on Food Network! I’m glad that there is someone who can showcase Indian food to the rest of the community and showing people that it’s really not that hard.
Well, I at least I’m scared of making naan, but why use the xanthum gum? Is that the gluten-free aspect?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Kartik
March 19th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Looks good! Though I don’t have problems with gluten (as far as I know), I know a few people that do.
I am also curious about the xantham gum. What does it do for the recipe, and where do you find it?
March 20th, 2011 at 11:45 am
To Kartik and Tami:
Go to http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-xanthan-gum.htm. Very intense explanation and funny too. Now I can make a regular recipe and not worry about this thing I can’t pronounce (or find locally).
Good Luck,
Dulany
March 21st, 2011 at 9:39 am
Xanthan gum can usually be found at health food stores, along with some of the unusual herbs & spices not found in grocery stores. An Amish bulk goods store called the Food Barrel in Ashland, Ohio also carries xanthan gum & a huge gluten-free baking ingredients section. Basically, xanthan gum keeps your baked goods from crumbling into little bits, similar as gluten. Happy naan making!
March 27th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
You got a 3rd season! YAY!
March 29th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
HECK YEAH for 3rd Season.
Aren’t Shauna and Danny such wizards in the kitchen.
Arti you are just plain awesome!
April 6th, 2011 at 9:59 am
[...] RELEASED.. www.aartipaarti.com/2011/03/17/gluten-free-naan GLUTEN FREE NAAN Posted in Soup of the [...]
April 8th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
aarti- congrats on all you do! i love your recipes… if you’re still looking, this is the most amazing naan i’ve ever had and it’s gluten free! the recipe is gluten and dairy free and quite simple to make (shauna actually collaborated on the recipe). hope you try it out!
April 10th, 2011 at 8:16 am
My friend Miranda just started a GF site and she’s come up with a ton of yummy recipes. She’s obsessed with Asian food so she’s got some fun dishes on there! She came up with a cilantro roti that is delish! Check it out: http://untamedkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/tikka-masala-with-bajra-flatbread.html
April 14th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
sorry- the link didn’t seem to show up! http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1440
June 4th, 2011 at 4:22 am
Yay, congrats on season 3!
Also, I’m so glad to see a gluten free naan recipe, I’ll have to try this!
June 25th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Hi Aarti!!!
I watched you win Food Network Star last year and I was so so proud, not to mention so incredibly that the most wonderful person won!!! The warmth you radiate makes me so happy!!
A few years ago, I found out I had Celiac disease and I hate to admit it but I was in denial for a long time. Why? Because there was no way I was going to give up pani puris, chapattis, hot dog buns, cakes, etc.! It eventually caught up with me and I had to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet to stay healthy. Now I’m in medical school and honestly, it’s been so hard to find time to make gluten-free food. Even though we both come from an culinary tradition that has many naturally gluten free foods, it’s been difficult to fit Indian cooking it into my schedule. Hope you plan to show quick and easy recipes without wheat! =)
You are so freaking awesome!!! I love you Aarti!!
Vini
July 16th, 2011 at 8:46 am
HOW did I miss this before now? Oh my goodness, this looks fantastic. Thank you for your kind words, but my dear, you have some culinary genius going on here. (You’re right. I’ll fiddle with it. I can’t help but fiddle.)
I love that you’re doing this work. Thank you, Aarti!
July 16th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
I am sure your GF version is amazing! And with the simple ingredient list it looks like I have everything to make it!
July 19th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
I am so excited that you will be cooking gluten free more often!! I saw the news on Shauna’s blog. Sorry to hear that you were having an issue that made you go gluten free but I’m happy that I will be able to make more of your foods. My daughter and I have Food Network on ALL the time. It’s the backround noise of our home. We can do impersonations of everyone : )
September 10th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
HOLY YES!!! We’re so making this RIGHT NOW!! Never had Naan cuz of the death juice in my guts (a.k.a allergies). Every time we go to an Indian restaurant, everyone eats naan in my face and it smells sooooo good. Heck, the people that own the restaurants nearly taunt me with it (see this pic) lol!
Thank you Aarti! This rocks! Can’t wait to try it and report back.
October 30th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
[...] 20-Beef curry and gf naan [...]
December 21st, 2011 at 12:23 am
Greetings of the day !
I am looking for Gluten free Ready made Indian Breads ( Naan Bread, Missi Roti , Stuffed (Potato , Cottage cheeze, spinatch ) Indian Flat bread . Are these available ? if not can they be ordered specially. if so ,what would be the life of these products ? (frozen and not frozen ). and where can i purchase them ( i am happy to pay for shipping ). India
Eagerly awaiting Your reply
Nipun Jain
February 28th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Two things:
1. Domata has a fantastic gluten-free “living” all-purpose blend.
2 This recipe does not have enough moisture. Do you have errata?
March 27th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
I found out I had Celiac disease and I hate to admit it but I was in denial for a long time. Why? Because there was no way I was going to give up pani puris, chapattis, hot dog buns, cakes, etc.! It eventually caught up with me and I had to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet to stay healthy. Now I’m in medical school and honestly,
June 9th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Title…
Wow, I’m really delighted that I landed on this site, super info here! Better than http://facebook.com!…
December 1st, 2012 at 3:30 am
Aarti, thank you so much for posting this recipe. We were at our favorite Indian restaurant last night and it pained me to see my little DD1 yearn for the panner kulcha we had in front of us. She is such a trooper though, she simply had an extra serving of the rice she loves so much and dealt with it. Now with this recipe I’m going to give gluten free naan a try and hope that she enjoys it as much as she used to enjoy the fluffy wheat laden version.