Topic: Naan Cooked on a Nipoori

[nipoori man]

Naan Bread cooked on a Nipoori

Made this Naan Bread from a tested recipe.  I serve it with Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Lentil curry. 

Servings: 6
Cook time: 20 minutes




INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water*
1/8 cup white sugar*
3 tbsp milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups plain flour*
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp baking powder
 
*using 250ml cup measurement


METHOD:

 
1.   Take a large bowl and dissolve sugar in the warm water.  Add the yeast and stand for about 10 minutes, until it becomes frothy.
 
2.   Next, add the salt, milk, oil and egg and mix it well.


3.   Sieve in the plain flour and baking powder.


4.   Knead for 8-10 minutes.

   
5.   Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place, to rise.

6.   After about an hour, the dough will have doubled in volume.
       
7.   Pinch off about 6 small portions of the dough and roll into balls (rub a bit of the plain flour into your palm to prevent it from sticking). Cover it with a towel and allow to rest for another 30 minutes.

8.   Next fire up your Nipoori Oven.  Once it is ready, place the grill onto the bottom cone.

9.   Now roll out one ball of dough into a circle (not too thin).

           
10.   Lightly oil the grill and place the dough onto it and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned.  Turn it over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove it from grill.

11.   Continue the process until all the naan?s has been cooked.


Naan Bread with Honey Lemon Chicken with Green Lentil Curry.

[Peripatetic Phil]

No matter how appetising and authentic it might taste, I for one would find the regular pattern of linear scorch marks distinctly off-putting : it makes it look more like an Indian pitta bread than a real authentic naan.  Having no experience of a Nipoori tandoor, I cannot comment on how satisfactory one might be for the preparation of naan, but I would strongly urge the designers to try to find a way to produce naan with a more traditional and authentic appearance.

** Phil.
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[Ramirez]

Have to agree with Phil here. The end dish looks lovely, but the naans in isolation don't look, well, much like naans. They look like pittas that have been done under the grill. I am sure it tastes lovely, but they don't look the part.

[Cory Ander]

It looks to me like a "Nipoori" is simply a conventional BBQ with an unconventional conical hood.  I would think that's a great idea for cooking things like chicken tikka, keebabs, etc.

However, it also looks to me like cooking these naans is the same as cooking them on a conventional BBQ (i.e. no hood and cooked on the grid).  I suspect the "Nipoori", in the case, contributes nothing more than a conventional BBQ would contribute.

I sometimes use a BBQ to cook naans, but I prefer to use the solid, cast iron, plate and get it really hot.  I think this simulates a "tava" pretty well.

For me, failing the availability of a pukka tandoor, I still think the best option is a quick "seal" on a medium hot tava (or BBQ flat plate) followed by cooking under a really hot grill.

I would agree with others' comments (in another thread) that, for the "Nipoori" to simulate a tandoor for cooking naans, it needs a wider "chimney" opening.  Something for you to consider NP?

[George]

Made this Naan Bread from a tested recipe. 

Thanks for posting this recipe but you don't say what you thought of it. Would you make it again? How did it taste compared to naans you've had in Indian restaurants?

I'm further ahead on taste than I am on the look of the naan. My worst attempt must be when I followed the advice of someone on here to use a panini/sandwich type press. The 'naan' came out almost as flat as a pancake.

[nipoori man]

Hi George and All CRO members,

Indian food is as diverse as the many dialects of the Indian subcontinent, different from region to region and coast to coast.  As everyone who has been to a Northern Indian restaurant knows, the food of the North is not so hot and wheat-based breads are the staple.  Southerners, on the other hand, prefer fiery hot food accompanied by lots of rice.  My roots are from the south of India, thus my choice is rice!   Having said that, the many comments that I receive about the Nipoori not being able to cook a naan etc... was my point to proof that it can be done!  The most important for the Nipoori is to cook tandoori style - naan would be an individual preference.

I am also agreeable to you, taste comes first, than the look.    Would I make it again- Yes!   As for the taste, this recipe turned out the best among the many I have tried. 

[coogan]

I must agree that is just not the mouth watering puffed up, blistered and charred example of what I would call a naan bread. You have really got to do it inside the top hood somehow to utilize the high temperatures that are needed to create the perfect naan.

bon naan