Sourdough Naan Flatbread
This guide provides the blueprint for sourdough naan that prioritizes purity and precision, ensuring a perfect puff every single time without the need for a tandoor oven or chemical additives.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Bench scraper
- Rolling Pin
- Kitchen towel
Ingredients
Authentic Sourdough Naan Flatbread Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard unfed
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk dairy or plant based
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt dairy or plant based
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
Dough Mixing and Fermentation
- Mix the wet ingredients (sourdough starter discard, milk, yogurt, and olive oil) in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Use your hands to incorporate the ingredients until they are well combined and there are no dry bits left in the bowl. The dough will be stiff and slightly shaggy at first.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and let rest at room temperature until doubled in size. In a 68°F (20°C) kitchen, this takes roughly 8 hours. You are looking for a visible increase in volume and a soft, pillowy texture when poked.
- Turn the dough out onto your work surface and use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 78g each.
- Shape each piece into a ball and cover them with a kitchen towel to prevent a skin from forming. At this stage, the dough balls can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days before cooking.
Cooking the Naan
- While the dough is resting, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes. This long preheat is essential for even heat distribution.
- Working with one ball of dough at a time, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a round shape with a 1/8 inch thickness. The dough rounds should be about 6 inches in diameter.
- Place the rolled dough into the hot skillet and follow the three-stage cooking process:
- Flip 1: Cook for 2 minutes. Small bubbles form on the surface; the bottom shows light golden spots.
- Flip 2: Cook for 1-2 minutes. The underside begins to develop deep charred "leopard spots."
- Flip 3 (The Puff): Cook for 30-60 seconds. The dough rapidly inflates like a balloon as internal steam expands. Gently press down on small, unexpanded bubbles with a clean kitchen towel to encourage full inflation.
- Once the naan is full of air, remove it from the skillet and repeat with the remaining dough. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
For a truly authentic result, do not substitute the 8-hour ambient rise, as this is necessary for enzymatic breakdown and gluten relaxation, which allows the dough to stretch thin enough to puff. If using dairy-free yogurt, you may need to add an extra teaspoon of olive oil to replicate the richness of dairy fat. For an herb-infused version, incorporate 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley into the dough during mixing, adding an extra tablespoon of flour if the dough becomes too soft.
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 3g
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