Made with egg and yogurt base, naan has a thick and dense texture compared to pita bread that is only made with flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. Additionally, naan has a unique flavor with fragrant essence that goes well with curries and stewed dishes.
This chewy, thick Indian bread can be savored in several ways including dipping, scooping, toasted, as a pizza base, buttered and grilled, or enjoyed on its own. In addition, the subtle taste of naan makes it easy to pair with a variety of dishes.
What to eat with naan? Naan is traditionally served with chicken curry, tikka masala, saag paneer, goat tandoori, lentil dhal, or spinach masala. It helps to scoop the sauce easily and be able to grasp all the remaining bits to easily eat in a bite.
Naan has a mild flavor that can be spiced up using different toppings. It can be eaten alone, but it is more delicious when paired with dips like yogurt or hummus.
Furthermore, it resembles a flatbread where you can add cheese, vegetables, and herbs to create naan pizza in a conventional way. For easy snack, consider use naan to make wraps or taco.
The thickness makes it ideal for meats, gravies, and curries. With naan, a little creativity takes it a long way. Wondering what to pair with naan? Here are some classic pairings.
How do you eat Indian naan?
Simply tear pieces of naan with the right hand, pulling with the forefinger and thumb while at the same time holding the rest in place with the other hand. Carefully wrap this around food and gravy in the dish, and enjoy.
Naan is a favorite food to scoop sauces, gravies and remaining bits from the plate.
What goes well with naan?
Naan allows you to scoop sauces and meat conveniently, and easy tear bite size pieces to devour everything from lentil dhal to rich lamb bhuna. It can be excellently accompanied with chicken curry, goat tandoori, red lentil dhal, and spinach masala.
If you have plain and buttery garlic naan to serve with Indian cuisine, review the ingredients listed below to add flavor to the next level:
- Vegetables: zucchini, squash, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers jalapeños, tomatoes
- Fruits: mango, raisins, dried cherries, orange, figs, lemon
- Meat: chicken, goat, salmon, beef, lamb, crab
- Nuts: cashews, almonds, pistachio, walnuts
- Grains: basmati rice
- Cheese: feta, cheddar, fontina, mozzarella
- Seeds: nigella, poppy, sesame, fennel
- Spices: cinnamon, saffron, rosemary, chives
What flavor goes with naan?
Naan can be enjoyed with a wide variety of flavors that make it taste extraordinary. Some of the flavors that can be incorporated include rice, spices, herbs, cheese, and regional condiments.
Here are traditional flavor combination that go well with naan:
- naan + basmati rice + garlic + cinnamon + turmeric + mustard seeds
- naan + green bean + onion + mushroom + cream sauce
- naan + cheese + spinach
- naan + curry powder + chicken + garlic powder
- naan + coconut + dried fruits + nigella seeds + sugar
Eat with Naan: Conclusion
Naan is an essential dipping bread for Indian cuisine. It is leavened and oven-baked flatbread, that looks similar to pita bread.
Most naan recipes call for Greek yogurt, which gives it an airy texture. Incorporating too much sugar in the naan recipe can make the yeast grow fast, resulting in an unpleasant yeasty taste.
Because of it unique flavor and texture, naan can be paired with different vegetables, meat, and soups for delicious combination. Typically, naan is served with curry, tikka masala, saag paneer, tandoori, dhal or masala. It helps to scoop the sauce, meat, and vegetables on the dish without using utensils.
Always prepare sides of yogurt or hummus to dip the naan with. It will improve the flavor and freshen the naan when made into flatbread, wraps or taco.
From vegetables to fresh or dried fruits, meat, nuts, rice dishes, cheese, seeds, and spices, naan goes well with a variety of ingredients. Whether you are serving seasoned naan or plain naan, use these flavor combinations to choose recipes with classic ingredients to enjoy your naan experience.