Cottage Cheese Garlic Naan (Printable Version)
Soft Indian flatbread filled with creamy cottage cheese and garlic, ideal for pairing with savory dishes.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
05 - ½ cup warm milk
06 - ¼ cup plain yogurt
07 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
08 - ¼ cup warm water (as needed)
→ Filling
09 - 1 cup cottage cheese, crumbled
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
11 - 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Garlic Butter Topping
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
# How To Make:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Mix thoroughly to distribute yeast evenly.
02 - Add warm milk, yogurt, and oil to the dry ingredients. Mix to form a soft dough, gradually adding warm water as needed to achieve proper consistency.
03 - Knead the dough for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Combine crumbled cottage cheese, chopped cilantro, green chili, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix well and set aside until needed.
05 - Punch down the risen dough to remove air bubbles. Divide into 8 equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball.
06 - Roll each ball into a 4-inch disc. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center, gather edges to seal completely, and gently flatten to ensure filling is evenly distributed.
07 - Roll each filled ball into a 6–7 inch oval or round shape, taking care not to tear the dough or let filling spill out.
08 - Heat a cast iron skillet or tawa over medium-high heat until properly hot. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles immediately.
09 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter with minced garlic and chopped cilantro until well combined.
10 - Place a naan on the hot skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes until bubbles appear and bottom has golden spots. Flip and brush the cooked side with garlic butter. Cook another 1–2 minutes until second side is golden.
11 - Repeat with remaining naans, stacking cooked breads in a clean kitchen towel to maintain warmth and softness.
12 - Serve immediately while hot, brushing with additional garlic butter if desired. Pairs excellently with dal, curry, or raita.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cottage cheese filling makes these naans incredibly moist and gives them a protein boost that regular naan just does not have
- They freeze beautifully so you can double the batch and always have homemade bread ready for curry night
02 -
- Do not roll your naans too thin or the filling will burst through while cooking, leaving you with a messy skillet and broken bread
- Keep the heat high enough that bubbles form quickly, but not so hot that the bread burns before the inside cooks through
03 -
- If your dough feels too sticky while kneading, resist adding too much flour or your naan will be tough, a little stickiness is better than dry bread
- The garlic butter can be made ahead and kept at room temperature for brushing, just give it a quick stir before using