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Breads & Rice

Soft breads and fragrant rice to catch every drop of sauce.

1 hr 30 minMakes 6

Skillet Garlic Naan

Pillowy, blistered naan you can make in a regular cast-iron skillet.

Skillet Garlic Naan
20 minActive
15 minCook
6Servings
MediumLevel

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Chopped cilantro

Journey note: a lid on the skillet traps steam and gives that classic soft chew.

Method

  1. Mix. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, yogurt and water into a soft dough; knead 6 minutes.
  2. Rise. Cover and rest in a warm spot for 1 hour until puffy.
  3. Roll. Divide into 6 balls and roll each into a teardrop about 1/4 inch thick.
  4. Cook. Cook in a very hot dry skillet, 1 to 2 minutes per side, until blistered and puffed.
  5. Brush. Mix butter, garlic and cilantro and brush over the hot naan.
1 hr 15 minServes 6

Fragrant Vegetable Biryani

Layered basmati, saffron and spiced vegetables, steamed together until every grain is perfumed.

Fragrant Vegetable Biryani
30 minActive
45 minCook
6Servings
MediumLevel

Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmati rice, soaked 30 min
  • 3 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, peas, cauliflower, beans)
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp biryani masala
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • Pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 1/2 cup chopped mint and cilantro
  • 3 tbsp ghee
  • Whole spices: 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick

Journey note: seal the lid tightly; trapped steam is what cooks the rice through.

Method

  1. Fry the onions. Cook sliced onions in ghee until deep brown and crisp; reserve half for topping.
  2. Marinate vegetables. Mix vegetables with yogurt, biryani masala, ginger-garlic paste and half the herbs.
  3. Parboil rice. Boil rice with whole spices and salt until 70 percent cooked, then drain.
  4. Layer. Spread vegetables in a heavy pot, cover with rice, then herbs, fried onions, saffron milk and a drizzle of ghee.
  5. Steam (dum). Seal with foil and a lid; cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before fluffing.
50 minMakes 8

Stuffed Aloo Paratha

Whole-wheat flatbreads packed with spiced potato and griddled in ghee.

Stuffed Aloo Paratha
30 minActive
20 minCook
8Servings
MediumLevel

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour (atta)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp amchur
  • 2 green chilies, minced
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Ghee for cooking
  • Salt, to taste

Journey note: make sure the filling is completely cool or the parathas will tear.

Method

  1. Dough. Knead flour, water and a pinch of salt into a soft dough; rest 15 minutes.
  2. Filling. Mix mashed potato with cumin, chili powder, amchur, green chilies, cilantro and salt; cool fully.
  3. Stuff. Roll a dough ball into a small disc, add filling, pinch closed, and flatten gently.
  4. Roll. Roll out lightly to about 6 inches without letting filling escape.
  5. Griddle. Cook on a hot tawa or skillet with ghee until golden and speckled, about 2 minutes per side.