Grilled Garlic Naan Recipe: 3 Dishes to Pair With Garlic Naan
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jul 20, 2022 • 3 min read
Garlic naan is an aromatic, flavorful take on a beloved staple of Indian cuisine.
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What Is Garlic Naan?
Garlic naan is a popular variation of Indian naan bread, a leavened flatbread, commonly served at Indian restaurants or celebrations. Plain yogurt gives the dough a pillowy, stretchy crumb, and cooking it over high heat gives naan bread its signature glossy, blistered surface, which is finished by brushing with ghee or butter.
3 Dishes to Pair With Garlic Naan
Garlic naan is a favored accompaniment for many Indian dishes. Its mellow flavor can temper the heat, and its sturdy, doughy texture serves as a perfect utensil for saucy stews and braised dishes. Try it with:
- 1. Matar paneer: The tomato-based answer to palak paneer, matar paneer features stewed tomatoes, onions, whole spices, paneer cheese, and green peas. It is typically served with steamed rice.
- 2. Raita: Serve warm garlic naan with raita, a condiment and side dish made with plain yogurt (dahi), spices, and various vegetables—usually cucumber. In South Indian cuisine, it’s known as pachadi.
- 3. Saag: Saag is a stewed curry made with mustard greens or spinach, seasoned with garlic and spices, and served on its own as a side dish or with cubes of paneer cheese.
4 Tips on Making Garlic Naan
Garlic naan bread is made from a basic naan base recipe. If it’s your first time making homemade garlic naan, there are many ways to personalize and enhance the flavors:
- 1. Amp up the garlic. In addition to a finishing brush with garlic butter, try incorporating minced or crushed garlic cloves (or roast them for a softer, more caramelized flavor) while kneading. If you have garlic scapes, finely chop them and incorporate them into the dough.
- 2. Yogurt substitutions. If you don’t have any plain or Greek yogurt on hand, use buttermilk or whole milk curdled with a tablespoon of lemon juice, which will result in the same tender, fluffy texture.
- 3. Incorporate spices, citrus, and herbs. Add lemon zest, crushed whole coriander, or finely chopped herbs to the dough to play off the garlic’s bite with a floral freshness.
- 4. Naan on the stovetop. Mimic the effect of a tandoor oven or grill with a cast-iron pan, greased with a bit of vegetable oil or ghee.
Grilled Garlic Naan Recipe
makes
6-8prep time
1 hr 30 mintotal time
1 hr 50 mincook time
20 minIngredients
For the garlic butter:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the head of garlic on a small piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, and seal the edges. Roast it for 30 minutes.
- 2
Remove the garlic, and open the foil packet. Let the garlic cool, then remove the individual cloves by pressing the bottom of the bulb.
- 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the yeast has dissolved completely.
- 4
Add the flour, salt, yogurt, roasted garlic cloves, and chopped cilantro. Knead on medium speed until the dough starts to come together into a shaggy dough ball, 5–7 minutes.
- 5
Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Transfer the naan dough to an oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with a clean kitchen towel or loose sheet of plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- 6
Punch down the dough, then move it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces, and cover again with the towel.
- 7
Using your hands or a rolling pin, stretch the pieces into ½-inch thick rounds or ovals. Melt the butter in a small saucepan; add minced garlic and set it aside.
- 8
Heat a grill to medium-high heat, and lightly grease the grates. Add the flatbreads to the melted butter-garlic mixture, working in batches if necessary, and grill on one side until its golden brown and large bubbles form in the dough. Using a pair of tongs, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- 9
Remove the naan from the pan and place it on a plate or platter. Brush each naan with reserved garlic butter. Keep the finished naan in a stack, covered with a dishtowel to keep warm while you work through the rest.
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