Indian Cuisine

The taste of India is like no other. Filled with spices and bursts of flavor, this style of cooking can easily be turned into vegan dishes. India is well known for having one of the largest populations of vegetarians in the world, making it quite easy for vegetarians to find wholesome meals everywhere while traveling.  Veganism is a little different.

Vegan dishes in India such as Daal-Roti, Daal-Chawal provide enough carbohydrates and proteins. Consumption of sufficient amounts of nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits provides enough vitamins, minerals, and fats are easy in this food type. All you need now are a few essentials to be dairy and meat-free.

Naan Bread History

Let’s start with Naan bread. The  Naan originates from India but is today eaten in most types of South Asian restaurants and homes around the globe. It has transformed from a basic form of bread for many to experimental creations by chefs and food enthusiasts today with different fillings and flavours.

This Asian bread is mentioned the first time on 1300 AC by the Indian poet and musician Amir Khusrow, but its origin is almost certainly older: probably since the arrive of yeast in India from Egypt. During the Moghul era, Naan was served as breakfast at noble families.

Naan in old Persian means bread, and in Iran - it indicates any kind of bread. The Naan bread served in all the Indian restaurants from all over the world has been likely invented between India and Pakistan. Over the centuries, Naan spread into Myanmar, Afganistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and the Chinese region of Xingjian. As a result of the migration flows, Naan also reached the Persian Gulf.

Vegan Naan Bread Recipe

This recipe from  Loving It Vegan is super easy to make. The perfect accompaniment to a delicious curry or just as is. It is soft, fluffy and wonderfully flavorful!

Ingredients

3 cups (375g) All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Instant Yeast
1 tsp Salt
1 cup (240ml) + 2 Tbsp (30ml) Warm Water (Not Hot)
1 Tbsp (15ml) Maple Syrup
Olive oil (for oiling the dish and for frying)

Instructions:

1. Add the flour, yeast, and salt to a mixing bowl and mix together.
2. Add the maple syrup to the warm water and mix it in.
3. Pour the warm water over the flour mixture and stir in with a spoon. Flour your hands and a work surface and get in there with your hands, kneading the dough about 20 times so that it forms into a nice big ball. The dough will be quite soft.
4. Place the ball of dough into an oiled dish and turn it over a couple of times so that the dough is lightly coated in the oil, then cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rise on the countertop for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes bring out the ball of dough and place onto a parchment-lined board. Alternatively, use a floured baking mat. Cut the dough into 8 roughly even-sized pieces.
6. Heat up a non-stick frying pan with a tiny bit of olive oil – it really must be a very small amount, like a half a teaspoon.
7. Roll out the first naan into roughly an oval sort of shape and place it into the hot frying pan. Allow cooking until nicely browned on each side (if the pan is hot enough, it should only be 2-3 minutes before it’s perfectly done both sides).
8. Repeat for the rest of the naan bread.
9. Add more oil as needed if your pan starts to look too dry, but use only a small amount at a time.
10. If you would like to make garlic naan, then once you’ve rolled out your naan bread, dip your finger in water and lightly dab the water onto the surface of the naan bread, add crushed garlic and press it in, it will stick because of the dampness of the dough from the water. Then fry it as usual.
11. If you want to make a butter naan, then melt some vegan butter and brush it onto the naan bread during cooking or just after it’s finished cooking. A sprinkle of sea salt on top of the vegan butter is also delicious to add.