Topic: Naan Bread - Next step after h4ppy-chris

[Naga]

They look very much like the sort of naans I'm used to in my neck of the woods, Jerry. Never seen a round naan come out of a TA or restaurant. Thinner and not as fluffy, of course, but that's only to be expected from a domestic kitchen.

Have you tasted them yet? Looking very good, anyway!

I'm going to try SP's recipe out myself today and I only hope mine's turn out like yours.

(I nearly cracked the Fanny Craddock joke, but resisted manfully!)

[JerryM]

Naga,

Exactly as you describe was for me too.

Yes. All eaten family loved them.

A small sprinkle of purchased garlic salt also took them to restaurant level. A pastry brush of melted butter and garlic powder was also added before the salt.

Family was 100% satisfied and told me search no more.

Obviously the tarva is not as good as tandoor but I can live with the gap.

[Naga]

Many thanks, Jerry. Great to get your feedback.

As things turned out, I didn't get around to making the naans last weekend, but I'll get on it for this weekend's curries.

Thanks again!

[Zap]

Those look excellent!  The Naan we get here in the US doesn't usually have the huge bubbles like seen in other recipe postings.  I had to run into the city so I was lucky enough to stop at the Indian grocery again on the way home and talk to the shop owner.  He said he surveyed his restaurant owning friends and they don't add much to the dough (just like the recipe here).  I think he said some don't even add salt!  They definitely use just milk, no yoghurt, and only one of the restaurants said they use any egg either.

With the weather turning pretty nasty here, I'm not sure when the next tandoor session will be, but I will be trying SP's recipe and I think I am going to try it with and without the egg and see what happens and how both versions compare to the restaurant-style naan I've had.

At a certain point, I think one will only get so far until the recipe is right, tandoor or not.  I think this is going to be another big jump in getting there.

[mickdabass]

They look really nice Jerry. Your methodical scientific approach has once again delivered the goods!!
I personally am very happy with the modified H4C Naans (half the sugar, 1 tsp kalonji and 1 dsp yoghurt) cooked in the tandoor

Regards

Mick

[Garp]

Why are we even having this conversation? If you don't have a tandoor (or maybe even if you do), the H4ppy Naan recipe and method is unbeatable - messing about with the sugar and yogurt excepted.

No offence to you, Jerry, but yours look like the kind of biscuit-textured attempts I made in the oven several years ago.

It doesn't matter (to me) what shape it is, as long as the taste and texture are there, and it's easy to modify Chris's if you want a thinner naan.

I would just ask you to compare this one from Andy

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/3261074bc663eb35b9e29d911d815e96.jpg

....to this one from Jerry

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/6601857fd7c5eaa861845d8be6f04112.jpg

Nuff said

[JerryM]

Garp,

It's down to individual expectation. 

I was happy with the h4ppy-chris naan till I sampled naan at the hilal in timperly on a night out.

They did remind me of midland naan. Quite thin and not doughy.

The SP naan is a real find for me. Perfect. As I say my naan journey is done.

Tandoor or no tandoor being irrelevant to me. It's what I can produce with what I have and how close that is to the best BIR land has to offer.

Anyone who is sold on the h4ppy-chris recipe can stick to it. I do rate it. I just was never happy with the sugar and a slight tang that I've never been able to bottom. Until SP that is.

[LouP]

I religiously make H4ppy naans every Thursday now and they are always spot on. I don't use seeds and only use 50grams of sugar MAX.
I use room temperature milk and egg, leave that to sit half an hour. Add that to the flour, add water and mix gently with a knife until just mixed.
Cover with cling film and leave till night time.
Oil it and whack it in the fridge.
Take out very early Friday morning. Leave to rest for 2 hrs, ball up and flour, leave to rest at least 4 hrs.
Cook!
Perfect every time I add garlic and butter to mine with I fry off in a little fry pan and it's the dogs doo-dars! ;D

[Madrasandy]

The SP naan is a real find for me. Perfect. As I say my naan journey is done.

Cheers Jerry, that's a great endorsement for me to give these a try. I do love the happy naans though, they will take a lot of beating

[Garp]

They did remind me of midland naan. Quite thin and not doughy.

I've never found the H4ppy naan to be doughy. Normal pictures are taken fresh from the tawa, but they do flatten out. The dough can also be rolled thinner to produce crispier naans. One of my local Restaurants serves naan in slices, like a pzza, and they are kind of crispy in the middle (I'm not sure if that is what you are referring to).