Garlic Naan

Homemade naan is SO delicious, and it's not hard to make.  I think this naan is even better than what I get at my favorite Indian restaurant--it's an irresistible accompaniment to almost anything.  Kneading and rolling the dough is actually really fun; it only needs to rise for 45 minutes, so it's a totally viable weeknight dinner option.  Plus, you won't even have to turn on your oven!

Garlic naan is my favorite, but if you prefer plain naan, you can just omit the garlic and cilantro.  It will still be amazing.  I was all excited to use cilantro, but found that my bunch had totally frozen in the fridge and looked really sad.  I guess my fridge is too cold!

Ingredients (adapted from Budget Bytes; makes 8 pieces):

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt (I used 2%)
1 teaspoon garlic paste (optional)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2-3 cups flour, divided, plus extra
10 or so cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Butter or ghee for cooking and serving

In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water until the yeast dissolves.  Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it foams up.  Stir in the oil, yogurt, garlic paste, and egg.

In a medium bowl, mix the salt with one cup of the flour.  Add the wet ingredients and stir until well mixed.  Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until you can no longer stir the dough with a spoon.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Start kneading the dough, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking.  Knead for about three minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth but not sticky.

Let the dough rest, lightly covered with a kitchen towel, for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Flatten the dough a little, and cut it into eight wedges.  Pick up each wedge and stretch the dough from the top around to the bottom a few times to create a ball.

Heat a little butter or ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Dip each side of the dough ball in the minced garlic and cilantro, then roll it out until it's about six inches in diameter.

Place the naan in the hot skillet, and cook on the first side until large bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.  Flip the naan and cook until golden on the other side.

Serve topped with a little more butter or ghee and accompanied by your favorite curry.