for your saag paneer or other Indian dishes
Naan
2 cups unbleached white flour (replace with up to 2/3 cup of whole wheat if you like)
3/4 cup soured milk or yogurt
1 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp water
If you’re not using yogurt, sour the milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand 5-10 minutes.
Add the flour and yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer.
Add the milk/yogurt.
Mix together with a hook, then add the salt when everything is moistened and mixed together. Add the water as needed.
Mix at medium speed until the dough is smooth and not too sticky. It should all pull away from the sides of the bowl and be kneaded together.
Lift it and put the dough in an oiled or buttered bowl, allowing room for it to double. Cover with plastic wrap.
Put it in the (cool) oven or in some place (a sunny windowsill) to rise.
In an hour or two it will have risen to double in size.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Remove it from the bowl and put it on a floured countertop.
Divide the dough into 8 equal piece and roll them into balls.
Cover them with a dish towel for 10 minutes.
Roll each piece into an 8-10 inch circle, dust with flour and put aside: be careful not to stack them without flour, or they’ll stick.
When you have 4 rolled out, lay them on a baking sheet and put them in the over: set the timer for 5 minutes.
Roll the others out.
Check the first batch: if they have puffed up and are browning just slightly, they’re done.
Pull them out and put them on a rack to cool.
Put the others in to bake the same way.
To serve, cut them in half and put them in a basket or add to plates when serving. Some like to brush them with butter when they come out of the oven: personal preference.