Naan (Indian Flat Bread)

[Firemonkey]

After DJ shoots you down (and you get a real console; I suggest xbox 360), we can take this war to the ground. Here is a preview of your fate, courtesy of GRAW2:

[LeadDog]

Sorry guys I have to plant a vineyard. I'm not going to be spending my money on an X-box just so I can entertain myself. I can think of better ways to spend my free time.

[scouterpf]

I wonder if we can cook the naan by smooshing it against the top 1/2 of the KK or is that a no-no; the well smoked lid should be good-to-go.

[Firemonkey]

The top of my KK is so coated with black greasy goo, that I try not to touch it! If you want to try this, do it now before yours looks the same way

[Sanny]

Maybe accomplish a more traditional naan cook using the pizza stone? If you want that vertical cooking surface, prop the pizza stone up along the side of the cooker on a lower grill, maybe. I wonder how a traditional tandoor keeps from being greasy smokey inside. Isn't the fire inside a tandoor, too?

[Firemonkey]

Tandoors are usually run HOT. My KK is usually at lower temp, and once the grease builds up, it takes an extended period of higher temps to burn it clean.

There probably isnt too much pulled pork being cooked in the Tandoors

[LeadDog]

I wonder if we can cook the naan by smooshing it against the top 1/2 of the KK or is that a no-no; the well smoked lid should be good-to-go.

I would do Naan just the way I did mine. I have made it several times and it turns out great.

I think this way is the fastest, safest, and easiest way to make Naan in a KK.

[mguerra]

"Non-Bread"

Say you are at home, alone, and your wife is not there. It strikes you to make some naan. And you go to the cupboard and get out "the flour". You follow the recipe, and wind up with the weirdest, stickiest, pasty glue like substance that in no way resembles the you-tube video dough that Manjula made. Half of it is stuck all over your hands, and the wax paper you thought you could roll it out with. You've got wads of this stuff stuck to the cabinets, and counter top, and in your hair and on your face and shirt and the door knob to the porch. So you just flop whatever you can in a big pile on a cookie sheet and throw it on the fire. It cooks up into a giant lump of bizzare I don't know what the hell it is. A little run around the internet educates you to the fact that there isn't just one thing called "flour". In fact, it seems that "cake flour" is quite different... and in no way suitable for naan! So, gents, if you don't know your flours, and the Mrs. isn't home, don't go off on some wild ass naan adventure, or you will wind up laughing your ass off at the inevitable hilarious result!!!! Plus you better hustle to clean up the kitchen gluey tornadic nightmare, before she gets home.

[DachsieSlave]

Nice story but where's the pics????

[mguerra]

Hmm, there is a little hunk left. Oddly, the end result of this little misadventure was quite palatable. In fact, I will offer the following: go ahead and use cake flour in a naan recipe. Mix it with an implement, NOT your hands. Don't try to knead it with your hands, keep your hands OUT of there! Let it rise just like the naan recipes say. Don't make little balls or try to roll it. Pour out the mix onto a greased cookie sheet and let it flow out as flat as it will. Cook just as Lead Dog says. You might like this!

[mguerra]

pix

The fragmentary remains:

http://gallery.me.com/mpguerra#100142

[mguerra]

2nd try

OK, I re did Manjula's naan, with the correct all-purpose flour. Holy Schmoley that's good!! Fresh, hot, yeasty aromatic bread; nothing beats it. Manjula lets the dough rise several hours, I gave it one hour and it worked perfect. As a contrast, tonight I tried a boxed foccacia mix from Firenza, (the company, not the town). Nowhere near as good. I did a 15 hour pork roast and then jacked the fire up, baked the bread while the pork was resting in foil. Pulled the pork just as the bread was done, scarfed both. This is the plan, man.