Cottage Cheese Garlic Naan (Printable Version)
Pillowy Indian flatbread flavored with garlic and filled with creamy cottage cheese for a savory treat.
# 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
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Topping
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
# How-To:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Mix well to distribute evenly.
02 - Add warm milk, yogurt, and oil to the dry ingredients. Mix to form a soft dough, gradually incorporating 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 for 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Combine cottage cheese, cilantro, green chili, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
05 - Punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball.
06 - Roll each ball into a 4-inch disc. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center, pinch edges to seal completely, then gently flatten.
07 - Roll each filled ball into a 6–7 inch oval or round, taking care not to break the seal or let filling spill out.
08 - Heat a cast iron skillet or tawa over medium-high heat until properly hot.
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 on the surface, then flip immediately.
11 - Brush the cooked side with garlic butter mixture. Cook another 1–2 minutes until golden spots appear. Remove from heat.
12 - Stack cooked naans in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve hot with additional garlic butter if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cottage cheese filling creates these incredible creamy pockets that stay molten hot when you bite into them
- These naans freeze beautifully so you can always have fresh tasting bread on hand for impromptu curry nights
02 -
- Rolling the filled dough too thin will cause the cheese to burst through during cooking so aim for a quarter inch thickness
- Let the skillet get properly hot between naans or they will not develop those signature charred bubbles
03 -
- Warm your yogurt slightly before adding it to the dough so it does not cool down the milk and affect the yeast
- Use the back of a spoon to flatten the filling slightly before sealing which helps it distribute evenly