Whenever a debate or discussion is held regarding Indian bread, the most common topics discussed widely are naan vs paneer naan.
Naan (and its stuffed versions) is indeed the most eaten flattened bread on all Indian occasions.
1. The Journey of Naan
Naan has a long travel history starting from its birth place, India, to the kitchens and restaurants around the world. Changing its texture, filling, aroma, and taste in the expert hands of culinary specialists of various lands, according to the varied taste buds and ethnicity of different people and civilizations.
The first recorded mention of naan is found in 1300 AD in the writings of the Indo-Persian poet Amir Kushrau. Naan, a delicacy of the Imperial Court in Delhi, existed in two forms: naan-e-tunuk (light bread) and naan-e-tanuri (cooked in a tandoor oven). Naan, accompanied by keema or kebab, was a breakfast food popular among the royals during the Mughal era in India.
Naan made its next appearance in Britain in the year 1926, on the menu of the oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy, and then in Europe on the shelves of Honeytop Speciality Foods.
2. Versions of Naan
Naan can be made in different flavors, shapes, and types. Some of the most famous and tasty ones used on a regular basis are:
- Plain Naan
- Butter Naan
- Garlic Naan
- Roghni Naan
- Naan Pizza
- Paneer Stuffed Naan (But can pregnant women eat paneer? The answer is just a click away!)
- Potato Stuffed Naan
3. Naan Vs Paneer Naan Comparison
| Characteristics | Naan | Paneer Naan |
| Taste & Texture | Like a soft flat bread, slightly crunchy | Tastier, very soft, smooth, and fluffier It has an upper edge due to the stuffing and can be taken without any accompaniments |
| Color | A bit darker brown upper crust | Light brown |
| Aroma | Smells more like bread | Spreads the aroma of spices |
| Nutritional Value | 45.4 gm carbs, 5.1 gm fat, 8.7 gm protein & 262 calories | 39 gm carbs, 14 gm protein, 13 gm fat & 330 calories |
Another captivating comparison you won’t want to miss is Indian paneer vs Bangladeshi paneer.
4. Method of making Naan vs Paneer Naan
The cooking techniques for naan over time have undergone several changes. Traditionally, naan is baked in a tandoor, or clay oven. However, baking in the oven or even in a pan (tawa) is becoming popular.
They can be prepared in house ovens as well. It’s usually served hot, with ghee (clarified butter) or butter brushed on top.
Although plain Naan is traditionally baked in tandoor, Paneer naan, the stuffed version, is typically made on Tawa.
5. Ingredients for plain Naan vs Paneer naan
Ingredients for plain Naan
- Refined flour/ Wheat flour – 2 cups
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
- Sugar – 2 tsp
- Baking powder/ baking soda – 1/2 tsp
- Milk – 3/4 cup
- Oil – 3 tbsp.
- Butter – for basting
- Nigella/ black sesame seeds – a pinch
- Coriander leaves chopped – a little
- Milk/lukewarm water for kneading.
- Egg (optional) -1
Ingredients for Stuffed Naan
- Refined flour/ Wheat flour – 2 cups
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
- Sugar – 2 tsp
- Baking powder/ baking soda – 1/2 tsp
- Milk – 3/4 cup
- Oil – 3 tbsp.
- Butter – for basting
- Nigella/ black sesame seeds – a pinch
- Coriander leaves chopped – a little
- Milk/lukewarm water for kneading.
- Egg (optional) -1
- Paneer/ Cottage Cheese
- Coriander Powder
- Cumin Powder
- Red Chili powder
- Onions (optional)
6. Process:
Stuffing for the Paneer Naan
To start with, here are some tips on how to soften frozen paneer.
Mash paneer in a bowl, then add a tablespoon of coriander powder and red chili powder. Mix all of them and divide them into equal portions.
Step 1- Making the Dough
First, take the all-purpose flour on a flattened plate. Add salt, a pinch of sugar, and baking soda oil and rub them thoroughly along with the flour. Then add one egg (optional) to it.
Start kneading the dough with milk (Lukewarm water can also be used). Knead thoroughly with your hands till we get a soft dough. Once kneaded, apply oil or warm water on the surface, cover with a clean cloth and set aside for 10 to 15 mins in a warm place.
Make spherical balls out of small pieces of dough. Allow it to sit for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2 – Rolling Out and Stuffing
Turn on the gas. To make the Naan, take a portion and, with very little dry refined flour, roll it lightly. Give it the desired shape. Just roll it out. If you want, you can make it round or oval.
For stuffed naan, after rolling out for about 3 to 4 inches, make a pouch and put one or two tbsp. of the stuffing. Close the pouch and then roll out. Now we put a little melted butter on it, a pinch of Nigella seeds/garlic, and a little Coriander on the top side and, press it lightly while poking it with a fork. Flip down the butter side.
The backside should not have any butter or oil. In fact, we apply some water to it with our hands and put it on a hot pan with the waterside facing down so that it sticks in the pan.
Step 3 – Cooking
Take the pan and cook on an open flame. The naan will start puffing now. Take off the naan and put the water/sticking side on flame for a few min to give color.
In case of baking, preheat the oven for 10 secs. And after rolling out the Naan, put it on a greased baking tray. Put the tray inside the oven for 5 mins. After 5 min, flip the naan and bake for 5 more mins.
A quick recap video of the above process:
