Nan

Food

Preparation time: 55 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 8
Serves: 4-5

Required ingredients:
Refined Wheat Flour (White flour/Maida) -- 3.5 cups
Yoghurt -- 1/2 cup
Egg -- 1
Butter -- 1/4 cup
Sugar -- 3 tsp.
Salt -- 2 tsp.
Warm Water -- 3/4 cup
Yeast (dried) -- 30 Grams

Step 1: In a dish take 5 table spoons of water, add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and stir well. Keep aside for 10-12 minutes. (You will see bubbles on the surface of the mixture which suggests that the yeast is alright). Now add in the remaining water, sugar, yoghurt, egg, butter and salt. Stir well.

Step 2: Add the flour to this liquid and make into a smooth, soft and elastic dough. (It will take about 10-15 minutes). Take a warm bowl, butter all the sides and the bottom of the bowl then place the dough in the bowl, cover with a cloth and keep in a warm place until the dough doubles in height (about 40 minutes). Push a finger into the dough. If the impression remains, then it is ready to be baked. Make the dough into 8 equal balls, flatten them into circles with your fingers such that the edges are thicker than the centre. Pull one end of the circle so that the dough circle now looks like a tear drop or a balloon in two dimensions. The length is about a handspan and width about a palm.

Step 3: Heat oven to 450F, and on a non-greased baking tray place the dough. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Note : Nan is a wonderful Punjabi leavened bread that goes well with any Vegetable Kormas or Dhansak. Plain fresh yoghurt is also served as an accompaniment.