Naan Bread

A leavened flat bread originating from northern India, which is traditionally baked by slapping the bread dough onto the side of a hot dome shaped clay oven referred to as a tandoor. The dough's weight would normally cause it to fall into a teardrop shape, which is the recognizable characteristic of naan bread, however, with changes in baking processes there are now a variety of shapes from round to oval that are readily produced.

The basic ingredients in naan bread include yogurt and white flour, which can be enriched by adding an egg. There are a variety of different flavors produced, such as naan with sesame seeds, whole-wheat naam, herbal flavored naan, and other flavors continuing to be made in the traditional tandoori baking method.

For serving, naan can be filled with various ingredients such as onion, garlic, salsa, meats, cheese, and then folded over or rolled to create a sandwich. Or, sweet ingredients can be added as a layer over the bread to provide a sweeter tasting food. Another way to serve naan is to cut it into individual pieces that will be dipped into sauces, salsas, oils, curry, or hummus. Naan has a dense chewy texture, similar to focaccia bread, and is best eaten when it is still fresh and hot. If it is to be stored, keep it refrigerated for a week or less, or frozen for extended periods of time. This bread may also be referred to as nan, non, nane, or none bread.