Naan

In this house, we love Indian food.  Quito has some decent offerings, but there's nothing quite like the simmering, scented, and spicy fun of making our own dishes at home.  And there is no substitute for fresh, hot naan, straight off the stovetop.  It's also a lot easier than many realize.  The hardest part is the patience required, since the dough needs a 2-hour rise/rest time before you can grill it up.

Yield:  variable, depending on the size you want to roll out -- but I find this recipe generally provides enough naan for 4-6 people

Recipe (Brands Tested):

• 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (La Reposterita Levapan Levadura Activa Seca)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (Supermaxi brand)
• 3 tbsp. milk (La Lechera Leche Semi-Descremada)
• 1 egg, beaten (Supermaxi brand - grande)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt (Cris-Sal Sal Marina Kosher)
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Harina Buena y Barata Harina de trigo fortificada para todo uso Especial Para Panadería y Pastelería)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted (for use while frying) (Vita Mantequilla Sin Sal)

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and let it stand for about 10 minutes until frothy.

Add the sugar, milk, egg, salt, and flour.  Using the bread hook of your mixer, mix at low-to-medium speed until a soft and pliable dough forms, usually around 2-3 minutes.  [This step can also be done by hand, in which case you'll likely be kneading it on a floured surface for 5 minutes.]

Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm place.  In our house, I use my proofing oven.  But even if you don't have a proofing setting, you can heat up your oven in advance, and then turn it off and leave the door slightly ajar while you leave the naan dough to rise inside.  You want it to be nice and warm, but not too hot.  Sorry, I realize that's not very scientific....

After 2 hours, the dough should have puffed up quite a bit, perhaps even doubling in volume.

Ideally, naan is cooked on a tawa.  I have no such thing here, so I use a regular old frying pan over medium heat (which I often have to adjust to low heat as time goes by -- you don't want the naan browning or blackening before the dough is actually fully cooked inside).

Pinch golf-ball-sized bits of dough off the main dough ball and roll them flat on a non-stick or floured surface.  The size and perfection of the circle are entirely up to your discretion and patience.  Mine are typically quite irregular.

Once the frying pan is warm, place the dough on it and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes until the underside is browned.  Brush the top lightly with melted butter and flip the naan over to finish cooking, typically for another 2 minutes.  Brush the top lightly with melted butter and then remove to a platter while you continue to roll out and grill the rest of the dough in sequence.

Serve the naan hot with basmati rice and any Indian dish of your choosing!  These are best consumed immediately and do not keep or reheat well at all.