Naan (food)
Naan is a type of bread that is usually eaten as an accompaniment to hot dishes in South Asia ( India , Pakistan , Bangladesh ), Central Asia ( Afghanistan , Uzbekistan , Tajikistan ) and the Middle East ( Iran , Turkey ). Naan has a flat, flat cake-like shape that you pull out a little before baking. The inner part is flat while the outer edge remains a little thicker. It is similar to a pizza base or, in terms of taste, also to stick bread . Naan is easy to confuse with Kulchawhich, however, is prepared without yeast.
preparation
In contrast to other Indian breads, naan is traditionally made from leavened dough , for example by adding yoghurt or with the help of lactic acid bacteria and possibly yeast . Baking powder is also used as a substitute. Originally the basic ingredients were millet and yeast, today wheat is often more common. Usually the dough is made from atta or highly refined maida . The dough cakes are baked in a tandoor over open embers . The typical taste also comes from this natural baking method, which requires a lot of care.
Nowadays, pre-baked naan is also available in many supermarkets.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Naan_Bakery_Ladakh.jpg/220px-Naan_Bakery_Ladakh.jpg)
etymology
The word naan originally comes from the Persian (نان) and means "bread". The name later spread in the neighboring languages on the Indian subcontinent ( Hindi नान nān ) and among the Turkic peoples of Central Asia (in the Turkic languages also: Nan or Non ).