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Tawa Naan (Without Tandoor)

Tawa Naan (Without Tandoor)

Tawa Naan, Naan Without Tandoor

Naan is definitely the most popular bread in Indian restaurants. Traditionally, naan is cooked in a tandoor (hot clay oven). I have already done a naan recipe using the oven and I used pizza stone to give a tandoor texture. But I find at home "tawa naan" is much easier to make. Tawa Naan turns out really soft and it tastes great. It's hassle free because you don't need a tandoor or oven. Naan Goes well with chole, palak paneer or any gravy based dish.
4.46 from 11 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour plain flour, Maida
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup yogurt room temperature
  • 1-1/2 tsp oil canola, vegetable
  • 1/4 cup look warm water use as needed

Garnishing

  • 1 tbsp clear butter or ghee
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp green chili finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions
 

  • We also need tawa or skillet to make naan, nonstick skillet will not work for this recipe. Iron tawa or skiller works the best for making Tawa Naan.

Making Naan

  • For garnishing mix all the ingredients, butter, salt, cilantro, and green chili Set aside.
  • Mix the dry ingredients together, add 1 tablespoon of oil and yogurt mix it well. Then add the water gradually to make very soft dough but not sticky. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough well. Apply light oil to the dough and cover. Let the dough sit for about 3 hours in warm place.
  • Dough should be about 1-1/2 time, knead the dough again on floured surface. Divide the dough in four parts, lightly roll into the flour, cover the balls and let it sit for about five minutes before rolling.
  • Roll the naan one at a time on a lightly floured surface little less than 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the water lightly on one side of the naan.
  • Heat the tawa on medium heat, to check if tawa is ready sprinkle the few drops of water on tawa, water should sizzle.
  • Put water side naan over tawa, once the naan start bubbling and dough start drying, turn the tawa over flames keeping about 2 inch away from the flames to cook the naan from top. Note: yes naan will stick to tawa and will not fall of, this the reason you cannot use the nonstick skillet.
  • Once naan browned to your satisfaction, remove, and spread the butter mix over. Place in a on a plate and cover with a cloth to keep warm until serving. Naan is ready!

Notes

Serving Suggestion
Taste best with Punjabi Chole or Palak Paneer
 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

How to make Naan at Home on Tawa Recipe – Manjula’s Kitchen 

Instructions: 

Tawa or Skillet: 

Let’s dive into crafting the perfect Tawa Naan (indian bread) at home with this easy Tawa Naan recipe. Begin by selecting the right equipment – an essential iron tawa or skillet. Forgo the nonstick skillet; the traditional iron one is crucial for achieving that perfect stickiness in your Tawa Naan.

Garnishing: 

Elevate your Tawa Naan with a delightful mix of clear butter, sea salt, chopped cilantro, and finely chopped green chili. This straightforward concoction adds richness, freshness, and a hint of heat, transforming your naan into a culinary masterpiece with our special naan on tawa recipe.

Mixing the Dry Ingredients: 

At the heart of our Tawa Naan recipe lies the meticulous combination of dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, blend Maida, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add oil and yogurt – the oil ensuring a smooth integration of flavors, and the yogurt contributing a creamy richness and subtle tanginess to the dough in this how to make naan at home on tawa guide.

Gradual Addition of Water: 

As you gradually add water to the dry mixture, witness the alchemy of dough creation. Water acts as the binding agent, transforming the dry ingredients into a soft, pliable dough. Aim for a texture that is soft yet not sticky, setting the stage for a naan that strikes the perfect balance between chewiness and tenderness in our naan on tawa recipe.

Kneading and Resting the Dough: 

The art of kneading takes center stage. On a lightly floured surface, the dough undergoes a transformation. Well-kneaded and coated with a touch of oil, it is covered and left to rest for a patient three hours. This period of repose allows the dough to rise, making it 1-1/2 times its original size, imparting a lightness that will be evident in the final Tawa Naan.

Division and Resting: 

Post-resting, knead again and divide the dough into four equal parts. Lightly roll the dough balls in flour, cover, and grant them a five-minute interlude before the next act in our naan on tawa recipe. This resting period allows the dough to gather its composure, ensuring a smooth rolling process.

Rolling and Sprinkling: 

Each naan takes shape individually, rolled on a lightly floured surface to a thickness slightly less than 1/4 inch. A sprinkle of water on one side adds a subtle moisture, a touch that will contribute to the naan’s characteristic texture as per our how to make naan at home on tawa guide.

Cooking on the Tawa: 

The Tawa, heated to a medium temperature with a few drops of water sprinkled on the surface sizzling, signals the readiness of the Tawa. The naan, waterside down, meets the hot surface. As it begins to bubble and the dough dries, a flip of the tawa over flames cooks the naan from the top. A crucial note underscores the unique nature of this process: the naan sticks to the Tawa, a characteristic that needs the use of a traditional iron surface rather than a nonstick skillet.

Final Touch: 

As the naan achieves the desired golden-brown hue, it exits the stage. A generous spread of the previously prepared butter mix crowns the naan with a final change of richness and flavor. Placed on a plate and covered with a cloth, the naan awaits its moment of glory, ready to be served warm and relished in our naan on tawa recipe.

Serving Suggestion: 

Completing our culinary symphony, the serving suggestion recommends pairing the Tawa Naan with Dal Makhani, Punjabi Chole, Palak Paneer, Butter Paneer Masala & Malai Kofta. This is not merely a suggestion but a curated experience, inviting us to savor the naan’s texture and flavor alongside these iconic accompaniments, creating a culinary ensemble that transcends the ordinary according to our how to make naan at home on tawa guide. 


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96 thoughts on “Tawa Naan (Without Tandoor)

  1. Thank you for this beautiful recipe and would love to try. Please let me know the brand of tawa you are using. That looks light. I have a wonderful Lodge cast iron tawa but owing to its’ weight and my bad wrist, it will be impossible to flip. Thank you so much

  2. This is the easiest recipe ever! For those who don’t have a tawa or gas oven, here is a tip. Use a cast iron skillet on the stove top. While the naan is cooking on one side on the stovetop, turn the oven to broil on high, making sure the top most rack is four inches from the broiler. Once you are ready to cook the other side, just slide the cast iron skillet under the broiler. Voila! Less than two minutes to cook the naan under the broiler on the other side!

  3. 5 stars
    Thank you for sharing your recipe. I had been looking for a good naan recipe. I had to modify my own method as I do not have a tawa, nor do I have a gas range. I used a stainless steel skillet, which while not perfect, I was able to get some decent results. I can imagine how much better my naan would have been if I had the tawa and a gas stove-top!

    I did notice one thing (and thankfully, your YouTube video was extremely helpful). The ingredient list, it states 1-1/2 tsp instead of 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil.

    1. I alwayz follow ur receipes. But this time Naan whether stuffed or plain Naan. My Naan alwayz fell dowm on gas from Tawa. What exactly am i doing wrong..

  4. Thank you so much for the recipe, they are always helpful, I doubled the recipe and used 1 cup APF and 1 cup Wheat Flour, naan turned out wonderful and my kids asked me to make them again next week!!

  5. Manjula! Help me. It was working for me, now it isn’t…. what am I doing wrong? I use your special kneading/rolling method. I dot the dough once in the skillet with my fingers….. but now it’s just one puff (slight puff). I have to use a cast iron skillet because my stove is electric. Is that the cause? I have a feeling it has more to do with my technique than the stove. It’s still the tastiest naan I’ve ever made. Sending hugs from afar… PS Can this recipe be doubled?

  6. I don’t have a Tawa, but I have a carbon steel Wok. Can I use this instead, as I think the Naan will stick to it, so that I can cook the top directly over the flame?

  7. Hi Manjula,

    First of all, thank you for your excellent recipes, they always work like a dream. I just made your palak paneer and it turned out delicious!

    I’d love to make the naan. One question though: can I make it ahead of time and refrigerate it? Thank you!

    Gosia

  8. How can I make this gluten free ?
    Can I use buckwheat flour instead ?
    Also if I want a vegan version can I use full fat coconut milk and add limon to replace the yogurt ?
    Thanks in advance for your help

  9. Interesting, the reason it works even without yeast is because yogurt contains lactic acid which is one of the components of sourdough. To help the dough rise even further you could try subbing sparkling water for mineral, or (but this will change the taste) use beer or wine (the alchohol will evaporate as it cooks, so it won’t be alcoholic, but if you don’t cook with alcohol at all then don’t try this). Beer in particular gives a taste similar to yeast (industrial yeast was once made from beer).
    So if you make this vegan, use a vegan yogurt with bacterias as that’s what helps the dough. I will try to make a gluten free version for my friend to eat ~ Didi

      1. Chana, I have not tried with naan but I tried with Manjula’s kulcha recipe which is similar. I would weigh the flour in grams because it is much easier with substitution. So you have about 1 cup flour with this recipe, that is around 140 gr. I would sub with 1/3 in weight (140 gr/3=~47 gr) glutinous rice flour (SE Asian sticky rice, different from regular rice, it helps with the stickyness, do not sub), 1/3 (~47 gr) cornstarch or tapioca starch, 1/3 (~47 gr) millet or jowar or any gluten free grain you prefer (I like jowar because I think it tastes a bit similar to wheat but it’s your choice). If you don’t mind your naan puffing less replace the starch with your favorite gf grain flour.

        I know some about substitution bc I like baking and I have a coeliac friend. I am Italian so going without bread is unthinkable. Gf bread is by far the most difficult to get right but the kulchas I made with the same method were pretty nice.

        1. Thanks a lot ????. So let me see if I understood
          Instead of 1 cup of flour I will use 1/3 cup of rice flour, 1/3 cup of tapioca and 1/3 cup of millet.
          And because I’m a vegan maybe use coconut milk with lemon because I don’t have a vegan yogurt.
          By any chance you have a blog so I can follow your recipes ?
          I miss bread really bad bit each time a get a piece my throat each like crazy. ????

  10. These came out so perfect! the whole family loved it.
    Thanks for all your lovely recipes and tips. Makes life easier for me and makes Indian food available so far away from home.
    Thank you again!

  11. Hello mam , I tried your recipe of tawa nan this weekend and it came out really well…my husband and kids really loved it n my husband even stated it is a magical recipe..Thanks for it.

  12. Thanks for your wonderful website. I started preparing this recipe and noticed that there is no yeast. Is that correct? Looking at other naan recipes online I see they all use yeast.

  13. Do you but ghee/butter directly on stove first? also, how do you garnish this? Thank you for recipe manjula, hoping you will put more like this. excellent for paneer.

  14. Dear Manjula, namaste!

    Thank you for your wonderful and sacred recipes which Swami Ananda and I enjoy a lot. We are very fond of nan bread and would like to try your recipe. But we have an electric stove, no flame stove… However, is it possible to do this recipe? Which method should we use then? Thank you.

    Blessings,

    Sri Mâ

  15. Hello Manjula

    I am a fan and a subscriber of yours from when you still had your long hair:) I have made your naan today, they were really good and I will do that recipe again. Is this naan the original Indian one or are the ones done with yeast also original Indian? Also I rolled one out a bit too large and one corner flipped over so it was double layered on one side. It didn’t matter much. Could you please tell me how thick the naan should be before it goes into the frying pan or skillet, and does it matter if it bubbles?

    Thank you for your help
    Christel

  16. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.. I’d like to make this naan for a party this weekend.. There are going to be about 12 people.. Can I make this naan in advance ??

    1. Baking powder and soda are deffinately not the same item. Both are used in baking, sometimes together.

      Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Baking Powder is sodium bicarbonate mixed with cream of tartar and a starch. They each have an effect on how your baked goods turn out.

      Baking powder is in the isle of the store with other baking supplies and is usually in a round container. A common brand is Clabber Girl here in the U.S. I use Rumsford a Baking powder as it is Non-GMO and Aluminum Free. Most health stores/organic grocers carry Rumsford

  17. I have been wondering why Naan bread could not be baked on a tawa. Now I will try it. I really enjoy the practicality of your recipes Manjula:-)

    1. First before putting naan on tawa…..keep the sraight side on for 30 sec and then turn the side of tawa towards flame…then again after removing the naan directly u can cook on flame ….

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