Peshwari Naan Recipe Whiskaffair

on Nov 04, 2024 Here are some more Indian bread recipes that you may like: Tandoori Roti, Khamiri Roti, Bakarkhani Roti, and Missi Roti. I often talk about my mom’s recipe booklets on this blog, which she made from magazine cuttings. I keep referring to them and often find interesting recipes to try. This Peshwari Naan recipe is also a find from one of those. The recipe sounded very interesting and unique, so I decided to try it. I used my tried and tested naan bread dough recipe and made the filling as per the booklet. These Peshwari naan turned out fabulous, so I made them again to share the recipe with you all. Do try!

About Peshwari Naan

Peshwari Naan is a flatbread which is popularly served in Indian and Pakistani restaurants. “Peshwari” refers to Peshawar, a city in Pakistan which is known for its rich culinary traditions. This naan is a specialty from that region and hence the name. This bread is made with a dough which is made using all purpose flour. Yogurt, baking powder and baking powder are added to the dough to make the naan soft and fluffy. Some people also add active yeast to their recipes to make the naan soft and fluffy. I don’t use yeast in my recipe but it still turns out quite good. The dough is stuffed with a mildly sweet mixture made from ingredients like desiccated coconut, sugar, dried nuts (often almonds or cashews), and sometimes raisins or sultanas. This filling gives peshwari naan its distinct sweet and nutty taste. At the restaurants, Peshwari naan is cooked in a tandoor (clay oven) but since most homes do not have a tandoor, I am sharing techniques to make it over the stovetop or in an oven. Serve it with spicy curries for a hearty meal.

Storage Suggestions

Whenever I make this recipe, I try to do some preparations in advance to make my work easier. I knead the dough and make the filling and topping 2-3 days in advance. I store all these in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Take out the yogurt and milk from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before kneading the dough as you will need them at room temperature. If you want a healthier version of Peshwari naan, then eplace half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. For The Filling – This naan is stuffed with a mildly sweet filling which is made using almonds, pistachios, raisins, desiccated coconut (nariyal ka burada), white sugar, and salted butter. Some people also add raisins and sultanas to their filling. For The Topping – Peshwari naan is topped with almonds, pistachios, white sesame seeds (til), fennel seeds (saunf), and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) before baking. The toppings give it a lovely look. You will also need butter or ghee to smear over the cooked naan.

4 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tablespoon cooking oil ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp sugar ¼ cup yogurt

Mix well using your fingers. Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen cloth and keep it in a warm place for 5-6 hours.

1 cup crushed almonds ¼ cup pistachios ¼ cup chopped raisins 2 tablespoon desiccated coconut 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salted butter (melted)

¼ cup slivered almonds ¼ cup slivered pistachios 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Keep a tablespoon of filling in the center of the circle and then bring its ends together. Sprinkle 2 teaspoon of topping ingredients over the naan and run the rolling pin. Flip the naan upside down and roll with the rolling pin once again. Apply water to the plain side of the naan and transfer it to the hot tawa, water side down. The water will cause it to stick to the griddle. Cook till brown spots appear on the surface. Keep moving the tawa back and forth so that the naan cooks evenly. Flip the tawa and cook for 20-30 seconds. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot. Note – If the naan gets stuck to the tawa, then use a flat metal spatula to remove it. Transfer the rolled naan with the topping side up on to the hot skillet. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes. You will see that it begin to inflate and develop a slight char on the undersurface. Flip the bread and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Flip again and brush generously with ghee or butter. Serve hot. Transfer the rolled naan on a baking sheet with the topping side up. Keep the baking tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 2-4 minutes until the naan puffs up and turns golden brown in color. Remove the naan from the tray using a flat metal spatula. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot. Before transferring the rolled naan on the tawa, make sure that it is very hot otherwise the naan will not stick to it and will fall off when you invert the tawa. Also do not use a nonstick tawa to make this recipe as the naan might slip off from the smooth tawa when you invert it. Wipe the rolling pin and the rolling surface with a cloth before rolling each naan to remove any water that is left on the surface when you rolled the previous naan. Avoid using excess dry flour while rolling, as it might stick to the naan and burn when you cook it. When I am ready to make the peshwari naan, I just take out everything from the refrigerator 2-3 hours in advance and keep it on the counter so that it comes to room temperature. Then all I have to do is just roll the naan and bake them.