I have also included an additional flavour combination, indulgent Peshwari Naan with Saffron and Rose for an exciting twist!
Indian Restaurant Style Peshwari Naan
There is nothing more satisfying than making your own homemade soft fluffy naan bread! If you’re putting in the time to make your perfect Indian curry, then investing a little effort in homemade naan rather than the shop-bought variety is so worth it. You do not even need special equipment. You end up with indulgent peshwari naans that are pillow soft, with just the right amount of chewiness. This naan also has the characteristic “bubbles” on the surface of the naan. Store-bought naan tends to harden as it cools but these naans retain their texture. I first discovered Peshwari Naan through our local Indian takeaway. So exotic right? I was pleasantly surprised to discover how brilliantly the sweet coconutty naan went with the curry.
What is Peshwari Naan?
Peshwari Naan, or Peshawari Naan, is a variation of naan bread which is a type of leavened bread that is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven. This particular variety is stuffed with a royal sweet coconut, sultana and nut filling. I lovingly called it the Fruit and Nut Naan when I was young. The naan shape is either round or a teardrop shape. These coconut filled naans are commonly found in British Indian Restaurants, or BIR, as a delicious sundry option to accompany a curry. You can also find Restaurant-style Garlic and Coriander Naan, which is probably one of the most popular versions of naan. You can easily pick your naan of choice at Indian restaurants, with a few other options like chilli naans, cheese naans and keema naans are also available. Peshwari Naans owe their name to the city of Peshawar, in Pakistan, where the naans have originated from.
Ingredients
For full ingredients list and amounts, please see the recipe card below The naan dough:
Strong white bread flour – we have made naans using both strong white flour and plain flour (all purpose flour). Instant dried yeast – also known as Fast action yeast. This is instant yeast required to prove the dough. Ensure your yeast is in date. I prefer to buy sachets. Baking powder Salt Sugar – we used regular granulated sugar but you can also use brown sugar or caster sugar. Ghee – you can either use ghee or melted unsalted butter. Ghee has a gorgeous aroma that is unsurpassed with Indian food Lukewarm milk – we used skimmed milk but you can use milk with any fat content Yogurt – we used natural yogurt. Ensure the yoghurt is not a low-fat variety as these tend to be more sour.
For the fruit and nut filling (Peshwari paste):
Desiccated coconut Sultanas – you can use a mixture of sultanas Nuts (nuts are called dry fruits in India). You can use almonds, pistachios, and cashew. You can use almond flour in place instead of whole nuts.
For the finishing touches:
Fresh chopped coriander Almond Slivers More ghee! Optional – sesame seeds
What to serve with Peshwari Naan
Peshwari Naan goes wonderfully with a wide range of Indian curries. The curries should ideally have a gravy so that the naan can mop it all up! I’ve always felt that a a dry curry does not work as well with a naan! You’re best off going for round and soft Gujarati rotli in this case. The mild sweetness of these naans and nutty filling make them an interesting combination for curries across the heat spectrum! Some love their sweet peshwari naan to accompany a strong hot curry such as Dhaba Style Dal Makhani or Marwari Dum Aloo because it cools it down. Panch Phoran Paneer is another great option that uses the panch phoran spice. I actually prefer sweet naan with milder yet rich curries that have a royal touch. Personally, I find that a sweet bread should enhance the dish it is eaten with rather than be used to tone it down! I would recommend these naans to be served with a vegetable korma or a Niramish Paneer or Veg Paneer Makkhanwala Kids might enjoy these naans with a side dish like mild Jersey Royal Potato Butter Masala Of course, you can totally ignore what I just said and eat it HOWEVER you please!!! Other types of naans you can try are Restaurant style Garlic and Coriander Naans or Cheese & Chilli Naans
Peshwari Naan with Saffron and Rose
I know you will be making these delicious naans time and time again, so why not consider make little tweaks? You can vary them in two different ways, either make changes to the dough or changes to the peshwari filling. Or, you can do both! I wanted to enhance the royal flavours in these naans as I was making them for a special occasion. I added saffron strands to the dough and rose petals in the coconut filling. The dough takes on a mellow golden colour and when it cooks, you’re left with a sweet perfumed naan. You can see the saffron peeking through the finished naan. The dried rose petals imbued a light floral flavour which went so, so well with the coconut and sultana! The results are subtle but so beautiful!
How can I get bubbly naan?
In order to achieve airy pockets on your naan that are beautifully charred and toasted, you need key ingredients and certain method points to follow. Traditionally, naan is baked in a tandoor – a very hot clay oven. It is the heat that causes the naan to cook quickly and thus produces those desired bubbles/pockets of air, charred finish and soft fluffy texture. To recreate this heat at home, use a tawa, griddle pan, skillet or large frying pan that is super hot. The pan should be so hot that you can just about see it smoking. This is what allows the naan to puff up and retain its pillow like softness. Naan that cooks slowly will be hard and chewy – not the effect we are going for here. The pan must also be dry, no oil is added as the dough is to be baked rather than shallow-fried.
How to make Homemade Peshwari Naan Step by Step
Homemade Peshwari naan is cooked in three steps. The first step is to knead a smooth dough and prove, next is to make the sweet filling and third to cook the naan. Kneading and Proving dough
In a large bowl add flour, salt, yeast, sugar and baking powder. Stir and combine well. Add yogurt (make sure the yogurt is at room temperature). Mix well.
Now pour warm water (a little water at a time) into the flour and make a soft dough, dough consistency should be like bread dough. If you have sticky dough, add a little flour. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes You can also use a stand mixer for this.
Leave it to rest in a well oiled bowl covered in a warm place. (we used instant pot to prove the dough) Once the you have risen dough, almost double in size, remove it on a lightly floured surface. You can keep the top of the dough covered with a damp tea towel if you wish
Second step – make the filling
Meanwhile, make the stuffing, add all the nuts, coconut and sultanas in a food processor and grind till you get a coarse paste. Leave the filling aside in a small bowl.
Step three – assemble and cook the naan
Once again knead the dough for a minute. Divide the dough into equal portions (around a tablespoon) and make a ball of dough.
On a clean worktop or board sprinkle some dry plain flour, take one dough ball and roll into a small round or oval shapes using a rolling pin. You are aiming for thick circles. Place a small portion of the filling (1 tbsp. of filling) in the centre.
Then seal the dough and make a ball. Dust the board again with the flour and roll stuffed ball into tear-shaped or round naan.
Repeat with the remaining naans Heat the griddle or Tawa on high heat. I have used 28cm cast iron skillet. Placed rolled naan onto the heated griddle, in a few seconds, you will see some blisters and bubbles appearing on one side. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip the bread and bake for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove on to a plate, brush it with melted butter or ghee. Top with almond flakes and serve hot.
Saffron and Rose Peshwari Naan I sprinkled a few strands of saffron in the dough and added some edible dried rose petals to the stuffing/filling. The taste was similar to Manda Roti.
Other Desiccated Coconut recipes
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Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in August 2016.
