bread - Soft Naan – Indian Flatbread

By tinathorn

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water, heated to 110°F
• 1 Tablespoon honey, (or agave syrup) (or sugar)
• 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar + enough milk to make 1/2 cup) (rice milk for dairy-free/vegan)
• 3/4 cup white rice flour
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons potato starch (or try tapioca starch*) + more for dusting
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (or try potato starch*, if using tapioca starch above)
• 2 teaspoons guar gum (or xanthan gum)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (for browning and texture)
• 1/4 cup cooking oil (I used EVOO extra light in flavor)
• 2 large eggs, beaten (skip for vegan diets or use a Gluten Free Egg Substitute
• Unsalted butter (or Earth Balance spread), for buttering tops of naan

Details

Adapted from glutenfreerecipebox.com

Preparation

Step 1

If using milk and vinegar mix and set aside for 15 minutes until thick. If it doesn't reach the consistency of butter milk, use less than 1/2 cup.
Add warm water to a medium sized bowl; add sugar or honey; stir to dissolve; add yeast; stir; and set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes. If it does not bubble start over with fresh yeast.
In a separate, large bowl, add remaining dry ingredients; whisk thoroughly.
Add buttermilk, oil, and beaten eggs, to yeast mixture; whisk well.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients; using a rubber spatula, stir until it reaches a soft dough the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes; allow to rest for 20 minutes.
Scatter 2 tablespoons potato starch to a clean, flat surface; scoop 1/3 cup at a time of dough; add to floured surface; knead with dusted hands; shape into a disk as wide as your spatula. Add additional potato starch, as needed.
Using a wide, thin spatula, transfer to preheated cast iron skillet.
Using your fingers or a pastry roller, immediately flatten and distribute dough in pan working from the center, moving outwards (too fragile to roll out and then transfer). Be careful not to burn your forearm on the pan.
Fry on each side for approximately 2 1/2 minutes; coat tops of fully cooked naan with salted butter.
Repeat with remaining dough adding additional potato starch as needed for kneading.
Serve warm; when eating plain, fold with buttered side inside. (Picture below is gluten free naan cooked on medium-high heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, removed from burner on occasion.)