This homemade naan bread is soft and light and will go great with this tandoori chicken. It’s even better when served fresh off the skillet!
Naan is derived from an old Persian word ‘non’ which refers to bread, and in Iran indicates any kind of bread.
The methods of cooking it have evolved over time. Traditionally it was cooked in a very hot tandoor or clay oven. It can also be cooked on a flat or concave iron griddle called a tawa. For home cooks like us, you can easily cook in in your preferred non stick skillet. I love this one because it’s light, doesn’t stick and at the right price point.
Typically, naan is served hot and brushed with ghee (clarified butter) or butter which will make it extra tasty!
The traditional Naan dough is composed of flour, water, yogurt, and yeast. Yeast was first used in Egypt in 4000 BC but wasn’t understood till much later. Flat breads from 4000 BC-19th Century were un-leavened which means they didn’t rise. In the 19th century cooks started to understand the potential of yeast.
This paleo recipe cuts out the yeast, flour, and dairy. Instead we’ll use arrowroot starch, coconut flour, an egg and full fat coconut milk. It won’t have the airy feel of a traditional naan but it will taste pretty good and is a great substitute to the traditional combo of yeast and gluten.
NAAN VARIETIES
There are different types of South Asian flat breads such as chappatti, bhatura, dosa, romali, puri, luchi, tandoori roti, pitta bread, kulcha, paratha and of course, naan.
There are also many varieties of naan, including:
- Plain – simplest form which is brushed with ghee or butter.
- Kulcha – has a filling of cooked onions.
- Keema – includes a filling of minced lamb, mutton or goat meat.
- Roghani – sprinkled with sesame seeds, and is popular in Pakistan.
- Peshawari and Kashmiri – filled with a mixture of nuts and raisins including pistachios.
- Paneer – stuffed with a filling of paneer (cheese) flavoured with ground coriander and paprika.
HOW LONG WILL THE NAAN BREAD LAST
It’s best to store them in the fridge in an airtight container. It should be fine for 5-7 days . It taste great and still fresh reheated in a toaster oven or in a skillet.
HOW TO FREEZE NAAN BREAD
Freezing naan is simple. Just wrap in plastic or foil and place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 month. Let defrost and warm up in a toaster oven or on the skillet.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH NAAN BREAD
You can eat it with just about anything but it does work especially well with Indian recipes.
- Easy Sheet Pan Curry Shrimp
- Tandoori Chicken
- Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Beef Curry
- Chutney
- Hummus
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 3 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
Instructions
- Combine arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg with coconut milk, then add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well incorporated. Allow to sit for 5 minutes for the batter to thicken.
- Heat a non stick skillet over medium-low heat and add a little bit of oil to it. Spoon about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle with fresh or roasted garlic, serve warm.
Wow!!! I didn’t think it possible, but I actually prefer this paleo naan to the traditional naan bread at my favorite local Indian restaurant. I’m also kind of a kitchen novice but this was super easy to make. I paired it with some butter chicken, and it was so outstanding that right after wolfing it down I whipped up another batch for tomorrow.
Thanks so much! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!