Thecha Naan | Stuffed Chilli Cheese Naan

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 2 Tablespoons Yoghurt (Curd)
• 2 Tablespoons Lukewarm Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Ghee Or Oil
• 1/2 Cup Lukewarm Water
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 15 Green Chillies (Stems Removed)
• 7-8 Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Grated Cheese (Preferably Mozzarella)
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Nigella Seeds (Kalonji)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make the Dough ---

2. 2

   prepare dough: Add all the ingredients for the naan dough except oil and water to a bowl and mix. Pour in oil and lukewarm water and mix.

3. 3

   kneading: If using a stand mixer, knead for 5 minutes on medium speed. If kneading by hand, knead for 6-8 minutes till the dough is smooth.

4. 4

   allow dough to rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a cloth or cling film. Place the bowl to proof the dough in a warm spot and let it double in size. This can take between 1-3 hours based on the weather.

5. 5

   --- Making the Thecha ---

6. 6

   roast chilli and garlic: Heat oil on a tava or shallow pan and add green chillies and garlic. Let them blister on all sides - this takes a few minutes. Be careful as they splutter sometimes.

7. 7

   make into a paste: Add them to a mortar and pestle, along with salt, and pound them into a coarse paste. You can either use it immediately or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days

8. 8

   --- Making the Thecha Butter and Stuffing ---

9. 9

   prepare stuffing and butter: Mix a teaspoon of thecha to butter and mix to combine. Add another teaspoon of thecha to the grated cheese and mix. We’ll need thecha cheese to stuff the naan and thecha butter to brush the naan with

10. 10

    --- Preparing the Naan ---

11. 11

    stuff the dough: Take a ball of dough and gently smash it with your fingers into a circle 3-4 cm in diameter. Add a tablespoon of thecha cheese in the centre and bring the edges together to stuff and seal the dough (watch the recipe video).

12. 12

    roll out naan: Now flip this over and roll it out into a thin oval or circular shape. Use dry flour while rolling.

13. 13

    sprinkle nigella seeds: Brush the top lightly with water and sprinkle nigella seeds on top.

14. 14

    --- Stovetop Instructions: When ready to cook, preheat an iron tava on the stove and place it upside down. ---

15. 15

    cook naan: Flip the naan and brush the other side lightly with water and then place the water side down on the upside-down tava. Let this cook for a minute or so till you start seeing bubbles and then flip the tava over so that the naan is directly over the flames. Move the tava around till the bubbles become bigger, the naan is brown all over and charred around the edges.

16. 16

    brush with thecha butter: Remove the naan to a plate and brush with thecha butter. Serve hot

17. 17

    --- Baking in an OONI Oven: Preheat the OONI oven till the temperature on the pizza stone reaches 350-400C. ---

18. 18

    prepare the pizza peel and place naan: Dust the pizza peel with flour and swiftly move the rolled-out naan on the peel. Transfer it to the pizza peel.

19. 19

    cook naan: Wait for 30-45 seconds will bubbles start appearing. Gently turn the naan around every 15 seconds till it’s cooked and has a slight char around the edges. This takes approx 30-60 seconds.

20. 20

    brush with thecha butter: Remove the naan to a plate and brush with thecha butter. Serve hot