Naan Bread^★

• ½ cup warm water
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp dried active dry yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 cups plain flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ⅔ cup natural yogurt, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds, optional
• small amount of melted butter to brush

Put the water in a bowl. Add sugar, salt and the yeast. Stir to mix. Set aside for 15-20 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture is frothy.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the yeast mixture, the nigella seeds, vegetable oil and yogurt. Mix to form a ball of dough.

Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and satiny (I did this in a stand mixer). Form into a ball. Pour¼tsp` oil into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and set aside for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to it’s hottest temperature and turn on the top oven grill. Put your heaviest baking tray to heat in the oven.

Oil your work surface. Punch down the dough and knead again. Divide into eight equal balls. Keep covered when not working with the balls of dough. Roll the ball of dough into a tear-shaped naan, about 25cm long and 13cm wide at it’s widest point.

Remove the tray from the oven and slap a naan on it. Put in the oven for 3 minutes, it will puff up. Wrap the naans in a tea towel or foil. Make all the naans this way. Serve hot.

Keep them warm wrapped in foil in a turned off warm oven. You can reheat them in the microwave for 40 seconds or so.