1,000 Indian Recipes (305 page)

2.
Continue with Step 5 of
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
, basting each rolled-out naan with this paste.

Spicy Oven-Grilled Breads with Kalonji or Sesame Seeds

Kalonji ya Til kae Naan

Makes 10 to 12 breads

Here, the flavorings are best integrated into the dough, rather than spread on top. For less heat, remove the chile pepper seeds before mincing.

Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

1 tablespoon kalonji or sesame seeds

1.
Prepare the bread dough through Step 3 of
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
. Then, in a food processor, process together the onion and green chile pepper until minced, then add to the ingredients to make the dough.

2.
Continue with Step 4 of
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
, after the naans are rolled out and set on trays, sprinkle each one with about
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon kalonji or sesame seeds and press them into the dough to make sure they adhere to the naan. Broil the breads, as described in Step 5.

Oven-Grilled Breads with Dried Herbs and Spices

Sookhae Masalae kae Naan

Makes 10 to 12 breads

These
naans
are flavored with a simple basting when they are fresh from the oven. Vary the flavorings, if you wish, with your favorite herbs and spices.

Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads

1 teaspoon ground dried fenugreek

1 teaspoon ground dried mint

1 teaspoon ground dried curry leaves

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon coarsely ground ajwain seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika

1 tablespoon melted ghee or butter

1.
Prepare the bread dough through Step 4 of
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
. Before you put the breads in the oven, mix together all the ingredients except the ghee in a small bowl.

2.
Broil the breads as described in Step 5. Then, as soon as the breads come out of the oven, baste them generously with melted ghee or butter and sprinkle some of the seasoning mixture on them before serving.

Stuffed Pepper Jack Cheese Oven-Grilled Breads

Cheese vaalae Naan

Makes 10 to 12 breads

These
naans
are really unusual. They come stuffed with spicy Jack cheese—unheard of in India, but delicious all the same. This fun offering from my American kitchen is delicious with grilled foods, can be served with soup and salad, and also with meals that are not necessarily Indian.

Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads

1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese, or more as needed

Prepare the bread dough through Step 3 of
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
, rolling them out with a rolling pin into 4- to 5-inch rounds and place about 1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons of grated Pepper Jack cheese in the center. Pick up the edges of the dough, bring them together, and pinch to seal. Then roll out once again and broil the breads as described in Step 5.

Oven-Grilled Tofu Breads

Tofu aur Jaee kae Naan

Makes 10 to 12 breads

"Now I've seen everything," said my teenage nephew, Tini, when he saw me alter the
naan
dough with soy flour and oat bran. "I'm not telling my mom; she'll sneak some into breads and ruin everything." Despite his protests against my healthful additions, in the end, he loved the naans!

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

¹
⁄
₄
cup warm water (about 110°F)

¹
⁄
₄
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₄
cup warm lowfat milk (about 130°F)

2 cups all-purpose flour

¹
⁄
₂
cup soy flour

¹
⁄
₂
cup oat bran

¹
⁄
₂
cup soft tofu, crumbled

2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 tablespoon if making dough by hand

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

Chaat Masala
(or store-bought), to taste

Melted butter, for basting

1.
For the dough, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water in a small bowl and set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt and milk. (The milk may curdle, but don't be concerned.)

2.
In a food processor, process together the flours, oat bran, tofu, 2 tablespoons oil, and salt until mixed. Then, with the motor running, pour through the feeder tube, first the yeast mixture, then the yogurt-milk mixture, and process until the flour gathers into a ball and the sides of the processor are clean. (If the dough seems too sticky, add some more flour through the feeder tube, or add some more yogurt if the dough is dry and hard.)

3.
Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl, and place in a warm draft-free spot until it doubles in volume, 3 to 4 hours. (This allows the yeast to ferment and multiply, causing the dough to rise.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough. Meanwhile, prepare the chaat masala.

4.
To roll and grill the naan breads, follow directions for
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
, from Step 3. Remove the naan breads to a platter, baste lightly with the butter, sprinkle a generous pinch of chaat masala on top, and serve.

Baked Semolina Breads

Kulchae

Makes 10 to 12 breads

Kulchas
are baked pure white, leavened flour and semolina breads. They are more like flat, round slices of bread; nothing like any other Indian bread. They are generally served with chickpea curries and mango or other pickles and green puréed herb chutneys, in most roadside intersections of northern India.

The
kulcha
can be eaten as is, or they can be lightly basted with
ghee
or oil and reheated on a hot
tava
or griddle. (Heat them until lightly golden on both sides.) I love to make grilled cheese and vegetable sandwiches (think: warm foccacia sandwiches) using
kulchas
instead of sliced bread, and have, on occasion, used them as pizza crusts.

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

¹
⁄
₄
cup warm water (about 110°F)

³
⁄
₄
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 cup fine-grain semolina

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl or a pie dish, for coating and dusting

1.
For the dough, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water in a small bowl and set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the yogurt.

2.
Place the semolina, flour, butter, and salt in a food processor and process until mixed. With the motor running, pour the yeast mixture into the work bowl in a thin stream and process until the flour gathers into a ball and the sides of the processor are clean. (If the dough seems too sticky, add some more flour through the feeder tube, or add some more yogurt if the dough is dry and hard).

3.
Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl, and place in a warm draft-free spot until it doubles in volume, 3 to 4 hours. (This allows the yeast to ferment and multiply, causing the dough to rise.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough.

4.
Lightly grease 2 or 3 large baking trays. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting, about 10 minutes, then turn it off. Then, with lightly oiled clean hands, divide the dough equally into 10 to 12 balls and cover with foil to prevent drying. Working with each ball of dough separately, place in the bowl with the dry flour, flatten it with your fingertips, and coat well with the dry flour. Transfer to a cutting board or any other clean flat surface and, with a rolling pin, roll into 5 to 6-inch circle and place on the baking trays. (If the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust with more flour.)

5.
With a basting brush or your fingers, lightly baste the top surface of each bread with water. (This prevents them from drying out.) Cover with foil and place the trays in the turned-off oven to rise once more, about 1 hour.

6.
Remove the baking trays and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until the kulcha breads are still white, but firm, about 10 minutes. They should not brown. Serve.

Variation:
Like other Indian breads, kulchas are also made with with various stuffings. All the
Stuffings for Parantha Breads
can be used.

Special Breads

Roti

The term
roti
has multiple meanings to Indians. In its broadest sense, symbolically, it implies an entire meal, as in "your daily bread." If someone asks you in Hindi "
Rotikhaoge
? (Will you eat
roti?
)," they're inviting you to join them for a meal, not just bread.