Hello India! And a Recipe for Naan

We were thrilled to add India to our list of culinary vacation destinations back in 2015, and we’re still just as excited about offering our culinary travelers the opportunity to explore this beautiful country. We had long wanted to add a culinary tour to India, as it seemed a no-brainer of a culinary destination with one of the most recognized and flavorful cuisines in the world.

Browse all our culinary vacations in India.

Indian gastronomy also has the added bonus of being hot: not just spicy, although it can be that, but really up-and-coming, with new, innovative Indian chefs taking up the mantle of promoting Indian food throughout the world. You experience the food of just such a chef, Manish Mehrontra, on our In-Depth Culinary Journey in North India. Chef Mehrontra is one of the most recognized figures in the Indian culinary scene, and his restaurant Indian Accent was named one of the 101 best place to eat in the world.

Our cooking vacations in India include a longer, in-depth tour of seventeen nights, and a shorter “highlights” tour of eleven nights for those who have a little less time. Check them out on our website, or contact us for details!

And because we’re always all about bread at The International Kitchen, what better way to end than with a recipe for one of our favorite breads, naan. Of course, it would be best if baked in a tandoor oven, but you can make great naan at home all the same.

Naan

Serves: 6
Prep time: 75 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes
Cook method: Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp yeast
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 1 t salt
• 3 T yogurt
• 2 T melted ghee (or melted butter)
• garnish: melted ghee for brushing

Instructions:

1. Let the yeast and sugar sit in 125 ml of very warm water for 5 mins.

2. Combine the flour and salt, then add the wet ingredients. Mix to form a soft, sticky dough, and knead by hand for 4-5 minutes. (Wet your hands and board with a bit of oil if necessary).

3. Place in floured bowl and let rise 1 – 2 hours.

4. Divide into 6 parts, roll the dough into oval, tear-drop shapes about 1/4″ thick.

5. Heat a pizza stone in at 550 degree oven for 20 minutes, to make it VERY hot.

6. Before putting the naan in the oven, wet your hands and flip the naan between your hands a few times to lightly dampen.

7. Place 2 or 3 at a time on the pizza stone for a minute or two, or until it becomes golden brown on top. Flip for about half a minute more.

8. Remove from the oven and brush with melted ghee.

9. You can also make the naan on a hot, heavy skillet. Cook it in the skillet (one naan at a time) for about a minute or two, flip it and cover the skillet for another minute.

Are you as exited as we are about our newest destination? Don’t forget to check out our cooking vacations in India on our website!

Try your hand at more Indian cuisine with one of our recipes, including: Awadhi Murg Tikka or Garam Masala.

Learn more about Indian spices.

By Peg Kern

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