Garlic Naan Recipe

naan-recipe
"Naan" is a name well-known in Indian cooking, and this is one kind of flatbread that is appreciated all around the world, by Indians and non-Indians alike. Soft and tender, Naan can be made with several different variations, but I bet every one loves a bite of Garlic Naan! It pairs well with any kind of curry, and is filling as well as appealing to the eye. Determined to try a homemade Naan recipe, I set out on an adventure last weekend, and was happy to see that my Garlic Naans turned out nice and fluffy! And you can bake them in regular oven too, though it would be great to own a Mini-Tandoor; nevertheless, the experiment was absolutely successful, as you can see from the picture!

Ingredients
Yields about 8 to 10 naans

4 cups of fresh all-purpose flour
1 to 2 cups of yogurt (a little sour is preferred)
2 tbsp of melted ghee at room temperature
1 tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
Olive oil - for brushing the naans
finely chopped garlic cloves - according to taste
finely chopped cilantro - to garnish
Yeast mixture
In a small cup, take 2 tablespoons of warm water, add a pinch of sugar, and stir in 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast. Mix well, leave in a warm place and wait for it to rise (about 10 mins)

Method
In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt; add the sugar and ghee slowly to this mixture, followed by the yeast water. Mix by gradually adding the yogurt. Add and mix until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl and comes together in solid lump. You can use a little water to make the dough, but only if needed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands and knead it for 7-8 minutes. Cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest and rise for at least 2-3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. When you are ready to bake the Naans, take the dough out and knead for another 5 minutes to soften it. Divide the dough into lemon sized rounds. On a cutting-board or counter-top, dust a little bit of flour, and roll out each ball into a big round with 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness.

Roll out all your Naans and place them on a greased or parchment-paper lined baking tray for baking. Brush them all lightly with melted ghee or olive oil. Then evenly sprinkle the finely chopped garlic on each piece, pressing it gently into the dough so it doesn't fall off.

Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the bread is cooked through and turns into a golden yellow color.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with some freshly chopped cilantro, and serve your hot Garlic Naan with any delicious curry of your choice.

Related Recipes
Shahi Dum Aloo Recipe
Vegetable Korma
Malai Kofta Curry




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Sugar High Fridays- Fruit & Nut Roundup

shf-fruit-nut
Its Friday, and that means the weekend is round the corner, and its time to give in to indulgences - so we celebrate it with the Sugar High Friday - Fruit & Nut Roundup! No one needs a reason to enjoy good food, and each one of these delicious desserts that you are about to see below is a culinary treat in itself. Thanks for sharing all your delicious recipes with us, and hope these inviting entries will help you enjoy your weekend, making it a bit "more sweet"!!

Cakes & Muffins
Fruit & Berry Spoon Cake - eCurry
Chunky Banana-Nut Muffins - Life's Too Short for Chocolate
Gluten-Free Cranberry-Apricot Cake - Green Gourmet Giraffe
blueberry Banana-Nut Bars - My Experience with Cooking
Strawberry-Almond Scones - The Short (Dis)Order Cook
Oat Flour Cranberry Muffins - Madhuram's Eggless Cooking
Tamra Davis' Apple Cake - Split Pearsonality
Chocolate-Pecan-Banana Muffins - Maple Corn Bread
Banana-Walnut & Apricot Muffins - A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine
Banana-Date-Walnut Muffins - Sumi's Kitchen
Lemon Shortbread with Pecan Toppinge - Earth Vegan
Eggless Cherry Chocolate Cake - Madhuram's Eggless cooking
Vegan Applesauce Cake - Earth Vegan
Strawberry & Almond Muffins - Plantain Leaf
Plum & Pecan Bread - Chef in you

Frozen Treats
Mango Kulfi - Appyayan
Mango-Coconut Sorbet - Jaya's Space
Strawberry-Yogurt Delightt - Priya's Tasty Recipes
Frozen yogurt-Banana Dessert - A Culinary Odyssey
Mango PannaCota - Parita's World
Avocado Cream Pots - Sugar Nut
Mango-Almond Sorbet - Priya's Tasty Recipes
Mango Pistachio IceCream - Indian Khana
Mango Yogurt Mousse - Plantain Leaf

Cookies & Concoctions
Almond Fruit Tart - Tasty Touch
Mango Shrikhand - Renu's Kitchen
Fruity Phyllo Stacks - A Culinary Odyssey
Apricot & Nut Cookies - NewF in My Soup
Apricot Yogurt Parfait - An Edible Symphony
Peach-Strawberry-Almond Salad - Fearless Kitchen
Unnakkayi - Malabar Moplah Speciality - My Experience with Cooking
Peach-Blueberry-Almond Galettes - Passionate About Baking
Orange-Walnut Shortbread Cookies - Akshayapaatram
Richmond Maids of Honor - The Well-Seasoned Cook
Drunken Grapes - Sophie's Foodie Files
Mango & Chocolate Ganache Truffle - Dido Lives to Cook
Kitchen Sink Cookies - Samaithu Paarkalaam
Apple Marzipan Galettes - The Cook's Collection
Strawberry Kheer - Shail's Kitchen
Dry Fruit & Nut Laddoos - Kalyani's Kitchen
Date & Pistachio Cookies - Renu''s Kitchen
Apricot-Strawberry-Almond Shortcakes - My Diverse Kitchen
Fruit & Nut Cookies - Cook's Hideout
Pineapple Halwa - Prasu’s Kitchen


All these wonderful entries surely make me drool, and I have already bookmarked a few recipes for the coming weekends! Thanks once again for making this such a huge success; wishing you all a Sugar High Friday indeed!




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Mango Coconut Snack Cakes

mango-coconut-cake
Summer is the time I miss India the most - No, NO, not for the Heat, but for the delicious Mangoes that we relished during the season, never mind the pounds it added to my frame! Indian Mangoes have no parallel, but after so many years in the US, I guess we've started appreciating the fact that we can at least get mangoes in California, and they are of "decent-quality". So to satisfy my Mango mania, I baked these Mini Mango-Coconut Snack Cakes, a healthy, delicious alternative to regular decadent cakes or muffins. Made with whole-wheat, and a low-sugar content, these baby cakes can be eaten for breakfast, or turned into delicious desserts by sprinkling some icing sugar, and maybe some syrup or whipped cream on the top!

Ingredients
Makes about 12 mini cakes

2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour (optional, you can use AP flour instead)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 cup mango pulp - sweetened
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2-3 tbsp sugar (depending on how sweet your mango pulp is)

Method
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour your large muffin pans or 12 individual ramekins and set aside.

Beat the eggs, oil and vanilla together. When it becomes fluffy, add in the mango pulp and mix well.

In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients except coconut flakes and walnuts.

Now slowly pour the dry ingredient mix into the egg mixture and keep beating on medium speed. Do this till the entire cake batter becomes smooth and uniform, about 5-8 mins. Finally, fold in the shredded coconut and the chopped walnuts.

Distribute evenly in the prepared cake pans and bake for at least 20-25 mins, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn off the oven and let the mini cakes cool on the wire rack for 5 mins.

Then gently turn out the cakes from the pan. Garnish with a topping of more walnuts if you like, and sprinkle some confectioner's sugar on the top.

These taste great with tea or coffee, and as they are low in sugar and trans-fat, they are also a healthier option to indulge in!

These Mango-Coconut Cakes are my entry to the SHF-Fruit & Nut event being hosted on this blog this month. If you haven't sent them in already, I'm looking forward to your entries.

Related Recipes
Raspberry Almond Crumble
Chocolate Hazelnut Coffee Cake
Mango Cake with Streusel Topping




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Free Weekend Getaway with Chef Bonnie

chef-bonnie-vacation-rental
Most of the schools in US have closed down for summer and people are frantic planning their family vacations as the heat turns up in Sunny California! For those of you who have not yet experienced the sunny shores and the cool waters of the Pacific, here's something that could get you closer to a romantic Southern California getaway, which also includes a surprise package for food-lovers like me!

As the economy vacillates between good and not-so-good forecasts, everyone is looking for a way to cut costs, or better yet, find free stuff! So I was really happy to receive this email in my inbox about a free weekend getaway in a Southern California vacation rental home, sponsored by VacationRentals. For those of you who haven't heard about them, it is a popular website for vacation homes that connects property owners with vacationers seeking a private, home-like atmosphere for their accommodations. Something like finding a hotel, except this is more like a private home or retreat, which I'm sure you'd enjoy on a vacation. I did find a great deal on something I was looking for, but what caught my eye, and got me into writing this post is the current sweepstakes that they are offering! Just a little something to test your luck!:)

They are sponsoring a giveaway which features a vacation getaway in a Southern California vacation rental home where Chef Bonnie, (yes, the chef from Food Network and Hells Kitchen) will cook a gourmet meal for you in the rental home that the winners book!! The Prize includes money towards airfare, rental, and the personal gourmet meal cooked just for you! Bonnie Muirhead is a 26-year-old nanny and personal chef from Los Angeles, CA, was a finalist in the hell's Kitchen-Season 3, and missed winning the title by a few inches. However, those who have seen her know she's a great cook, and if given a chance, who wouldn't wish to be served by a Gourmet Chef?

So for those who are interested, and who have a history of being lucky, can try a hand at winning the Chef Bonnie Weekend Getaway, or any other of their Golf & Spa vacations by entering the sweepstakes over at Vacation Rentals. It is free, it is valued at $5,000, and it only takes a few minutes of your time; but if you win it, those would be a few minutes very well-invested!

For those who think this is a waste of time, here are some other interesting weekend destinations in California, just in case your travel plans happen to bring you over to the west coast!

Lake Tahoe - All-Season Travel Guide
Napa & Sonoma Valley - Wine, Food & Scenic Countryside
A Visitor's Guide to San Francisco




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