Curry for Dinner Party - Breads??

xxvickixx

Just thought it would be an idea to pick your brains on this one...

My neighbour and I take it in turns to host a dinner, the challenge is a 3 course meal for 4 for under £15, as imaginative as possible.

I have decided to do an Indian meal this time (needless to say lentils will feature on the menu!) and I would really like to make the bread but my attempts at Naan bread have never been very sucessful in the past (they end up hard and tasteless). I don't want to have to resort to buying it from the supermarket.

Does anyone know a recipe or technique that will make bread like the restaurants do?

I am open to chapatti or Naan alternatives too.

PS It's this Friday:eek: so I need to get cracking!

Thanks xx

GhostWarrior

I make flatbread using plain flour, olive oil, a pinch of salt and enough water just to bind it together, roll it out and dry fry it (it honestly doesn't stick) for a couple of minutes on each side. I was told about the recipe after someone saw it on Ready, Steady, Cook so you could check out the BBC site for the exact weights etc. I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for but I've used it with curries etc. and as a pizza base which turned out not too bad. I've added crushed chillies, garlic etc. etc. to them to give them a bit more flavour as well so it might be worth giving it a go beforehand to see if it's for you. Really quick and easy. And cheap! lol

Rikki

Naan bread is really easy to make both with yeast or non yeast if its to be eaten straight away.


Madhur Jaffrey's Naan Bread

littleredhen

is this any good
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/naanbreads_77147.shtml

Rikki

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon backing soda
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

Directions
Mix together dry ingredients.

1. Heat oil in pan.
2. Add milk, egg and yogurt to pan and heat until just warm.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry.
4. Mix the dough, knead just until held together.
5. Let rest, covered up to 45 minutes.
6. On floured surface pat out into two patty shaped surfaces.
7. About 1/2 inch thickness.
8. Broil under medium heat, turning once.
9. These will bubble and go slightly brow

xxvickixx

Thanks you guys! I never tried adding yoghurt, all the recipes seem to call for it. Maybe that is the missing ingredient. Will give it a whirl hopefully before Friday. I will let you know how I get on...

lindadykes

Some years ago I took an Indian cookery course which was taught by two lovely Indian ladies. The food they taught didn't taste like the take-aways or ready meals but was the type of food that would be cooked at home and was really lovely. One of those gave us a really simple recipe for the type of "naan style" bread that she made at home.

This was simply flour mixed to a dough with plain yogurt, rolled out into oval shapes and then grilled under a hot grill for a couple of minutes each side till puffed up and brown.
I always make this with my home made Indian curries and everyone always comments how nice it is, they can never believe that the recipe is so simple.

malamala

I just made some naan bread tonight after watching this clip on youtube. It is easy to make and quite tasty.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXOSO6nU_Z8

xxvickixx

lindadykes wrote: »

Some years ago I took an Indian cookery course which was taught by two lovely Indian ladies. The food they taught didn't taste like the take-aways or ready meals but was the type of food that would be cooked at home and was really lovely. One of those gave us a really simple recipe for the type of "naan style" bread that she made at home.

This was simply flour mixed to a dough with plain yogurt, rolled out into oval shapes and then grilled under a hot grill for a couple of minutes each side till puffed up and brown.
I always make this with my home made Indian curries and everyone always comments how nice it is, they can never believe that the recipe is so simple.

That sounds like a great experience. How did you find out about the course and was it expensive. I'd love to learn proper Indian cooking. I agree the food that I have had in a real Indian family home is nothing like take away but it absolutley amazing. One of my husband's friends is Indian and his wife said she would teach me but I don't know if she was just saying it to be polite IYKWIM.

xxvickixx

I'm feeling very proud of myself for this one!

I recently bought a huge bag of chapatti flour from Tesco for about £2. I reckon it will make 50 ish chapattis at the rate it's going and mine are much nicer and bigger than the ones you can buy from the supermarker. I would go as far to say that they are as good as the real deal.

I have made three batches now and batch 1 was a bit hard and dry but passable, batch 2 was better, much better and batch 3 was amazing. I made 12 and froze some too and they are fab warmed up in the microwave.

I would recommend to anyone to buy a bag, the insructions on the pack are really simple and you only need to add a small amount of ghee (I just used melted butter) and water.

My home made Naan is still a bit ropey even with all the help you guys gave me last month, but this is a great alternative!

Gigervamp

They're really easy aren't they?

I use sunflower oil in mine instead of ghee.