Peshwari Naan

Hi all, finally it’s weekend. Those of you, who have joined me today, let me tell you about my 7 day consecutive blogging challenge . Tomorrow will be the last day of my 7 day challenge. Thank you to all who are coming to cheer me up.
Although I have made these Peshawari naan’s last weekend, I am posting it almost after one week.These Peshawari naan, turned out soft to my surprise.Probably I have come with a good recipe for the naan dough finally. The recipe is now a keeper recipe for me and I can too surprise my guests with these home-made naans.I have tried many times making naans in ovens but they failed. Yes, that happened many times and last time may be I did the entire right thing with correct amount of rising agent and then the temperature at which it was baked. These are just guidelines for making naans that worked well for me.
Peshawari naan is a naan stuffed with dried fruits like cashews, pistachios, almonds. I had some roasted pistachios and desiccated coconut, which made a perfect filling for this naans.To the recipe now.

Peshwari Naan( stuffed with pistachio and coconut filling)
makes-7-8 naans
Recipe requirements
2 cup of all purpose flour +1/2 cup of wheat flour
2 tsp of dry active yeast
½ cup of warm water
2 tsp of sugar
½ tsp of baking powder
3-4 tbs of yogurt
3-4 tbs of oil or ghee
¼ cup of milk (optional) or water
½ cup of crushed pistachios and desiccated coconut mix
Method
For preparing the yeast
In a warm half cup of water, add 2 tsp of sugar and 2 tsp of active dry yeast. Let it sit there for 10 mints.
Now after ten minutes, a white froth will be formed in the cup, mix in well.
Now in a large kneading bowl, mix all purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder.
Make a well in centre.
Add in ghee or oil, yogurt and the prepared yeast.
Start kneading for the semi soft dough, if necessary you may add milk or water and some more flour.

Preheat an oven for 60 deg C and then turn off; keep the dough covered in the oven.
If you have a warm corner of your house, you may let it sit there for 45 minutes to one hour.
The dough will rise to double its quantity.
Now pinch the dough and work it again to make semi-soft dough. Keep the bowl covered for another half an hour or till the dough rise again.
Check after half an hour, if the dough has risen.
Divide the dough into 8-9 equal proportions.

Fill the pistachio+coconut filling into the rolled dough and then flip the other side over it. To make the filling, chop the roasted pistachios and then with the help of your rolling pin, crush them by rolling the pin over chop pistachios and desiccated coconut. You can make other filling with almonds and cashews similarly.

Sprinkle some nigella seeds/kalaunji/kalo jeerey.

and then roll into tear shaped naan with dusting some more flour.

Preheat oven at 210 deg C or at 400 deg F. Line a wirerack with butter paper/grease paper.

Place the rolled naans gently over it.
Bake them for 5-6 mints .Take out and flip the side and bake them again for 3-4 mints or till barely golden. Serve immediately.


Happy Cooking and don't forget to check the last day of my 7 day blogging challange tomorrow.Take Care

Updated on 09/08/2010.

• Made naans but this time without any stuffing, so here is some new change. 
• For the dough I didn’t use baking powder or milk. I made the dough this time with 2 tabs of yogurt+2-3 tbs of oil (moyen) and salt. And the yeast solution.
• Dissolve about 1- 1 ½ tsp of active dry yeast + 1tsp of sugar to half cup of luke warm water. Let it sit there for 20-25 mints till frothy. Now knead this with the flour (Atta in this case).
• Then let the dough sit in a warm place may be in direct contact of sun rays. Or preheat oven at 40 deg C for 1 mints.Switch of and then place the kneaded dough in oven .Let the dough rise and puff up to double.
• When the dough is puffed up, pinch and then knead it again. Divide the dough to about 1 inch rounds and then roll like small puri or luchis. Preheat oven at 220 deg C.
• Transfer the rolled naans to the wire rack lined with foil or grease paper.
• Bake it for 5 mints, then turn off the oven..Open and flip the sides of naan , bake further for 3-4 mints.Take out and serve hot straight from oven.
• I can’t say how happy I was seeing all the naans puffed up like puris while baking them in oven.They turned out soft also.

Updated on 2/03/12

• Made Naan again this time with self rising flour.Got the recipe from a cookbook.And believe me it just taste like the ones served in restaurants.This is however is a improvised version of that recipe.
• About 2 cups of self rising flour, 2 tbs of cooking oil, salt as per taste and 2 tsp of sugar.Yes sugar is required.
• Now knead it all together with hands using little bit of warm water or milk.Work well for about half an hour or till the dough becomes smooth and pliable.
• Now let it sit there for 2-3 hrs or till the dough rise.
• Preheat oven at 220 deg C.Line up a baking tray with foil. 
• divide the dough in equal balls.Roll the balls to small discs or make tear -shaped whatever way you prefer.
• place them over the baking tray and bake it for 5 mints.Take out and flip the side and bake again for 5 mints.
• Take out and cover them with kitchen towels and keep in the serving plate.Serve hot and immediately.Wrapping up in kitchen towels makes them soft and they remain hot.

Happy Cooking Friends