Amazing homemade Naan bread! And my take on Paneer Masala...

I decided to make naan breads at home today, and it was dead easy, simply unbelievable! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
2-3 cups self-raising flour
2 spoons low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 spoon baking powder
salt to taste
1 spoon olive oil
1 spoon sugar (optional)

Method:
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, mix well.
2. Add the milk, yogurt and oil.
3. Slowly mix well, until you get a soft but not sticky dough.
4. Cover with cling film, and store in a warm place (or on a window ledge which gets direct sunshine!) for 1-2 hours. The dough should rise slightly.
5. Divide the dough into balls, roll out into oblong shapes, using a little dry flour.
6. Pre-heat the grill, temperature of around 160-180 centigrade, for 6-8 minutes.
7. Spread a little olive oil on a baking tray, and place the rolled-out dough on the tray. Make small piercings with a fork.
8. Close the oven door.
9. The naan will start rising within a minute.
10. Switch off and remove from the grill after the dough rises in several places, and there are brown spots on the naan. Do not wait for the entire naan to turn brown!
11. Spread a little butter/ghee/low-fat spread and consume immediately.
12. If you like the naan to be brown on both sides, do turn the naan on the other side, and grill for a few more seconds. This is not recommended/necessary.

Though I did not prepare the following dish to go with naan today, it is something I make frequently. It is my take on Paneer Masala.

Ingredients:
250gms of fresh paneer or Indian cottage cheese(available in most large supermarkets or Asian stores)
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 large red onion
2 medium-sized tomatoes
2 spoons tomato puree
4-5 bay leaves
1-2 cups low-fat yogurt
2 spoons chilli powder
2 spoons garam masala
1/2 spoon turmeric powder
1/4 spoon asafoetida
salt to taste
Water
Chopped coriander

Method:
1. Cut the paneer into small cubes, fry them in a pan with butter/ghee/low-fat spread on low heat. When they start turning brown, remove from the pan, and keep aside.
2. Add some oil to the remaining butter/ghee/spread, and fry the chopped onion along with the bay leaves.
3. Chop the peppers into fairly large (1-inch) squares. Add to the onion frying in the pan.
4. At this stage, add the turmeric, chilli, asafoetida and garam masala powders, along with the salt. Cover with a lid.
5. Let the onion and peppers sweat in the pan for a while. Then, add the chopped tomatoes and 1/2 a cup of water. The quantity of water can vary, depending on how much gravy you prefer in the dish.
6. Let cook for 5-8 minutes. Add the tomato puree.
7. Add the fried paneer cubes to the pan. Give a good stir, then add the low-fat yogurt and after a minute, switch off the pan.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

I use low-fat yogurt instead of cream (which is normally preferred) because of the high fat content in cream. This dish stays good for 3-4 days in the fridge, and tastes even better after 2 days, heated in a microwave, as the cheese absorbs all the spices and gets softer when popped in the microwave!

I've also been baking and will post my Cinnamon Cookie recipe shortly. Until then, enjoy cooking!