Name: Cheese Garlic Naan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup All-Purpose Flour, maida, for dough; 1½ tbsp Indian-Style Yogurt, thick yogurt; ½ tsp Sugar, helps brown the crust; ¼ tsp Baking Powder; ⅛ tsp Baking Soda; ½ tsp Salt, divided for dough and filling; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, for kneading; ¼ cup Water, lukewarm, adjust as needed; ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated, for stuffing; ⅛ cup Cheese, grated (adds salty flavor); 1½ tbsp Garlic, very finely minced, divided; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped; 1½ tbsp Butter, melted, for brushing

2 hr 30 mintotal

30 min hands-on2 hr hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 10 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: None

Add to your week

Method

Make the dough base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the maida, sugar, part of the salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the curd and oil.
Mix until the flour feels sandy and crumbly. Add lukewarm water slowly and knead for 5 minutes into a very soft, stretchy dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest in a warm spot for 2 hours.
5 min2 hr
Make the filling: In a separate bowl, mix the grated mozzarella, processed cheese, finely minced garlic, and a small pinch of the remaining salt.
Take a large lemon-sized dough ball and press it into a 4-inch disc. Place a generous spoonful of garlic-cheese filling in the center.
Bring the edges up, pleat, and seal the dough well to form a tight parcel. Press it gently so the cheese does not leak during cooking.
Top the surface with the remaining minced garlic and chopped coriander, pressing them gently into the dough.
With a very light touch, roll the parcel on a lightly floured board into a 6-7 inch oval. Pressing too hard can push the filling out.
Flip the shaped naan and brush the plain underside generously with water.
Preheat an iron tawa over medium-high heat; avoid non-stick for this technique. Place the wet side on the hot iron so it sticks.
Cook for about 60 seconds, until large bubbles appear. Hold the handle, invert the tawa, and cook the top over direct flame until charred golden-brown spots appear.
1 min
Remove the naan with a spatula, brush the blistered surface with melted butter, and serve while the cheese is still melted.

How to tell it's done

The crust should be blistered and dotted with garlic, with melted, stretchy mozzarella inside when torn.

Getting it right

Tip

Roll from the center outward with very light pressure so the cheese spreads without tearing the dough. The inverted tawa helps melt the mozzarella inside the pocket.

What to serve it with

Slice into wedges for a snack, or serve whole with Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Makhani, or tomato-based curries.

Mutton Keema Kulcha

Mutton Keema Kulcha is a stuffed Punjabi maida bread filled with dry spiced mutton mince and roasted on an iron tawa.

55 minnon vegetarian

Palak Paratha

Palak Paratha is a green whole wheat flatbread kneaded with spinach, ginger, green chilli, ajwain, and a little oil.

25 minvegan

Pudina Paratha

Pudina Paratha is a layered whole wheat paratha filled with mint, roasted cumin, chaat masala, and ghee.

25 minvegetarian

Punjabi Mooli Paratha

Mooli paratha stuffs grated radish into wheat dough, using the leaves as well.

45 minvegetarian

Punjabi Paneer Paratha

Paneer paratha stuffs seasoned crumbled paneer into wheat dough and cooks it on a griddle with ghee.

35 minvegetarian

Puran Poli

Puran Poli is a Maharashtrian sweet flatbread stuffed with chana dal, jaggery, cardamom, and nutmeg for festival meals.

1 hr 30 minvegetarian

Ingredients