Spicy Naan Recipes

SPICY INDIAN DAHL

Steps:

• Cook the lentils by boiling or pressure cooking until lentils are soft. (Pressure cooking is faster.)
• In a skillet heat the oil and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds begin to flutter, add onions, ginger, jalapeno peppers, and garlic. Saute until the onions and garlic are golden brown. Add coriander and cumin. Add chopped tomatoes. Saute the mixture well until tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add water. Boil 6 minutes. Add cooked lentils, stirring well. Add salt to taste, stirring well. Add finely chopped cilantro and remove from heat. Serve hot.

SPICED NAAN

Steps:

• Whisk the bread flour, salt, and yeast together in a mixing bowl until combined; set aside. Stir the honey, 3/4 cup water, and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter together in a mixing bowl until the honey has dissolved. Stir in half of the flour mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in the remaining flour, a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the raisins, coconut, and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer; set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place a large baking sheet into the oven to preheat. Dust a second baking sheet heavily with flour.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8 inch round, then spoon the filling into the middle of the dough. Bring the edges of the dough over the filling, and pinch to seal. Carefully roll the dough out into 8-inch ovals and place onto the floured baking sheet. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for 15 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the naan onto the hot baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake until the naan have puffed up and are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot.

SPICY NAAN

Steps:

• Proof yeast in 1/2 cup of the water: mix the water and the yeast and teaspoon of flour in a cup; cover and let sit until it's bubbly and active (5- 10 minutes).
• Mix the yeast/water, the milk and the rest of the water in a large bowl.
• Stir in 2 cups of flour (always stir in the same direction) until smooth.
• Add the salt, oil and cumin seeds and stir well.
• Add the remaining flour 1/2 a cup at a time until the dough is too stiff to stir.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured board.
• Knead well, until the dough is springy; only add enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the board.
• Let dough rise in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with plastic, in a cool place for a few hours (warmer rising spot= shorter rise; I prefer leaving it longer).
• When the dough has risen to about double its original size, knead it down.
• Preheat the oven to 500ºF.
• I use unglazed quarry tiles in my oven when I make naan, attempting to mimic the tandoor ovens that are supposed to be used.
• If you don't have baking tiles, just use a baking sheet (I guess).
• Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and form them into balls.
• Brush the top of each ball lightly with melted butter or ghee and let it sit for about 20 minutes before shaping (by the time you've formed the last ball, the first one has usually sat long enough).
• Shape and bake naan two at a time: first smoosh the ball down flat with your fingers, then stretch it out into an oval shape.
• Transfer to the oven using a baking peel, or some other lightly floured thing you can use to slide the breads into the oven.
• Bake for about 6 minutes, or until puffy and getting brown.
• Yum!

SANAA'S JALAPENO LIME PICKLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy bottom sauce pot. Add the shallots and salt. Cook until the shallots are soft and translucent.
• Add the ancho chili powder, paprika, curry powder and cayenne pepper. Cook stirring frequently to avoid burning the spices and until the spices are fragrant.
• Add the sugar, white vinegar, lime juice and lime zest and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for approximately 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add the jalapenos and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes. Chill in refrigerator and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.