Butter Naanਮੱਖਣ ਨਾਨ

Name: Butter Naan
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 59 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Punjabi
Ingredients: 2 cups All-purpose flour (maida / ਮੈਦਾ); 1 tsp Baking powder; ¼ tsp Baking soda; ½ tsp Salt; 1 tsp Sugar; ¼ cup Plain yogurt (dahi / ਦਹੀ); ½ cup, approximately Warm milk; 2 tbsp Neutral oil; 3 tbsp Butter (makhan / ਮੱਖਣ); 3 cloves Garlic (lehsun / ਲਸਣ), minced; 2 tbsp Fresh cilantro (dhania / ਧਨੀਆ), chopped; 1 tsp Black sesame seeds (til / ਤਿਲ)

⏱ Prep 35m🍳 Cook 24m🍽 Serves 8🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Cooking With Chef Ashok (YouTube)

Butter naan is Punjab's most beloved leavened flatbread — soft and pillowy with a lightly charred exterior, brushed lavishly with butter straight off the tawa. This stovetop version skips the yeast and the restaurant tandoor, using yogurt and baking agents for lift and a very hot cast-iron tawa for that signature char. Serve it alongside dal makhani, paneer tikka masala, or a bowl of simple achaar.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪All-purpose flour (maida / ਮੈਦਾ)2 cups
▪Baking powder1 tsp
▪Baking soda¼ tsp
▪Salt½ tsp
▪Sugar1 tsp
▪Plain yogurt (dahi / ਦਹੀ)¼ cup
▪Warm milk½ cup, approximately
▪Neutral oil2 tbsp
For topping
▪Butter (makhan / ਮੱਖਣ)3 tbsp
▪Garlic (lehsun / ਲਸਣ), minced3 cloves
▪Fresh cilantro (dhania / ਧਨੀਆ), chopped2 tbsp
▪Black sesame seeds (til / ਤਿਲ)1 tsp

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Maida (all-purpose flour) is stocked in most international aisles as AP flour; bread flour adds more chew but gives a denser, less pliable naan.
Plain yogurt can be replaced with sour cream or full-fat plant-based yogurt for a dairy-free dough — the acidity is what activates the baking soda.
A heavy cast-iron skillet works perfectly as a tawa substitute; for the charred top, place the skillet under a preheated broiler for 1–2 minutes rather than inverting over an open flame.

Method

1Combine maida, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add yogurt and oil; mix well. Pour in warm milk gradually, kneading until the dough is soft and smooth — it should not stick to your hands. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 20–30 minutes.
2Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each into a 5–6 mm thick oval or teardrop shape.
3Press minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds firmly into one side of each rolled naan so they adhere when it hits the hot pan.
4Heat a heavy tawa or cast-iron skillet on high until very hot. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the plain side of the naan; press that wet side firmly onto the hot surface.
5Cook until large bubbles form and the bottom is set with light char marks, 2–3 minutes. Using tongs, carefully hold the tawa inverted over a medium gas flame to char the top side in spots — or simply flip the naan and cook the second side directly on the tawa for 1–2 minutes.
6Slide onto a plate, brush generously with butter, and serve immediately while steaming hot.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.