Paneer Naan

Naan bread is a pretty iconic staple of Indian cuisine; paneer naan just takes up this classic fare to the next notch. Generally speaking, naan is pretty simple to prepare. It does not take much skill in the kitchen; all you have to do is follow the instructions for this recipe and you will be eating a great breakfast in no time. If the paneer is not enough to satisfy you, combine it with jam or jelly.

Health Benefits

Paneer, also known as cottage cheese, is one of the healthier foods that you can include in your diet. It is low in calories and high in protein and healthy fats which makes it pretty substantially healthy to consume in general. The cheese is also rich in B-complex vitamins which have their own health benefits:

• Vitamin B12 – helps with proper brain functioning and iron absorption.
• Riboflavin – helps to convert carbs into energy.
• Pantothenic acid- synthesizes proteins, fats, and carbs.

Ingredients

active dry yeast: 1 tsp

sugar: 2 tbsp

water – room temperature: 1/4 cup

all-purpose flour: 4 cups

baking soda: 1 tsp

baking powder: 1 tsp

whole milk – room temperature: 3/4 cup

full-fat plain yogurt: 1/2 cup

cooking oil

oz paneer – crumbled: 12

stick unsalted butter – melted: 1

kosher salt

How To Make Paneer Naan

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in a measuring cup.
   1. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the yeast mixture, yogurt, and milk to form the dough.
   1. Stir in the dry ingredients.
   2. Knead with your hands until the dough forms a smooth, soft ball.
4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl.
   1. Cover with plastic wrap.
   2. Leave at room temperature until the dough doubles in size (about 2 hours).
5. Remove the dough from the bowl.
   1. Turn onto a well-floured surface.
6. Knead the dough briefly.
   1. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
   2. Roll into ¼ inch thick ovals – approximately 6 inches wide.
7. Heat a cast-iron skillet at a moderately high temperature.
   1. Brush the skillet with melted butter.
   2. Place the dough in the skillet.
   3. Cook for 1 minute or until the dough puffs up.
8. Flip the naan, cover the pan, and cook for another minute.
9. Remove the dough from the pan.
   1. Brush both sides with butter and sprinkle with salt.
   2. Place on a baking sheet and top with crumbled paneer.
10. Cook in the oven for 2 minutes until the cheese just begins to melt and the naan turns golden brown.

Trivia

There are various types of paneer that are made by draining the curds to a larger or lesser extent.