From the Persian word for bread, naan is found throughout South Asia, and further afield in Central Asian countries. Naan is baked in a tannur oven, but because I doubt many home cooks have access to that, I suggest baking it on a pizza stone or preheated baking sheet in the oven or in a pan on top of the stove, then sliding it under a hot broiler to get the charred effect on the bubbling bits of the bread that you would get in a tannur. The most interesting and most delicious naan I have ever had was from a baker in Hyderabad, India, who made his naans square. They were thicker than normal, and flakier, perhaps because he made his dough with both milk and yogurt. I give his version of the dough in the recipe for keema naan but am keeping it simple for the plain naan below. I suggest a round bread here, but you can easily make yours square by dividing the dough in half, then flattening each piece into a long rectangle, which you then cut into three medium-size squares before baking. Serve hot with the curry or kebabs of your choice.

MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL NAANS

INGREDIENTS

• 3½ cups (420 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 packet (7g/2¼ teaspoons) instant (fast-acting) yeast
• Scant ½ cup (120 ml) organic whole milk, at room temperature
• Vegetable oil, for the bowl
• 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 g to 60 g) unsalted butter or ghee, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. MIX THE INGREDIENTS:

• Mix the flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl and make a well in the center.
• Add the milk along with ¾ cup (180 ml) water and gradually bring in the flour to create a rough dough.

2. KNEAD THE DOUGH:

• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a ball, invert the bowl over it, and let sit for 15 minutes.
• Knead for 3 more minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour, or until well risen.

3. SHAPE AND REST THE DOUGH:

• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.
• Brush the balls of dough with the melted butter and let rest for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven.

4. PREHEAT AND BAKE:

• Preheat the oven to 475°F (250°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it on the bottom rack of the oven to preheat. Failing that, preheat a sturdy baking sheet. It is best to bake the naans directly on a hot surface.
• Flatten one ball of dough into a round 6 to 7 inches (15 to 17.5 cm) in diameter, or you can flatten and stretch it in length to make an oblong naan, 8 to 9 inches (20 to 22.5 cm) long and 4 inches (10 cm) wide at its widest.
• Quickly transfer to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until it has bubbled up in parts and has gone golden brown where it has puffed up.
• Take out of the oven and brush with butter or ghee.
• Repeat with the other balls of dough until you have made all 6 naans.

STOVE-TOP NAAN:

• You can also “bake” the naan in a tawa or a broilerproof skillet.
• Heat the tawa or pan over medium heat and heat your broiler to the maximum.
• Transfer the flattened dough to the tawa or pan. Cook on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the naan has puffed up in parts and is golden on the bottom.
• Slide the pan under the broiler for a minute or so to color the top.
• Transfer to a rack and brush with butter or ghee.
• Repeat for all the dough.