Naan to worry – tips for better homemade naan

The flatbread naan is traditionally made in a tandoor – a cylindrical clay oven that can achieve heat levels not typically seen in a home oven. Naan is cooked on the sides of the oven, allowing the heat to penetrate quickly and the bread to be done in a matter of minutes. Because of this, home cooks can be hesitant to attempt naan at home. Chef Floyd Cardoz wants to reassure you that you can, indeed, make delicious naan in your kitchen and offer several tips for achieving the best results.

To replicate the heat of a tandoor, Cardoz suggests using a pizza stone to “mimic the hot clay walls to which the naan adheres and the ambient heat surrounding the bread.” The heat from the oven works in tandem with the heat from the stone, producing a superior result to many skillet recipes. Preheating your stone for at least a full hour before baking is best to allow the stone to reach maximum heat saturation. 

Cardoz offers ideas for spicing up your naan, suggesting that you mix bold flavorings or seeds into the dough. Classic options include minced garlic, sesame, cumin, nigella, and fenugreek (we just covered some of these spices in our Spice Support series). You can also substitute 1/4 of the flour with whole wheat or other flours for added variety.

Photo of Indian leavened flatbread (Naan) from Saveur Magazine