This simple flatbread gets it’s fluffiness from a bit of baking powder, soda, and yogurt. It’s fluffy, crisp, and absolutely awesome. To put it plainly, cheesy yogurt naan is giving me life.

The other day Mike made the chicken ruby from Dishoom, in London. He started off by marinating the chicken the night before then the next day made the sauce and grilled the chicken. When we chatted about what we were going to have to go along with, there was only one answer: fluffy, pillowy, cheddar cheese stuffed naan.

Luckily, naan is probably the easiest flatbread to make. This one gets it tang and softness from milk and yogurt. The fluffy plushness is from baking powder and soda instead of yeast which is nice because you don’t have to wait as long as you usually would with a yeasted dough. All you do is mix all the ingredients together until they form a dough, then let the dough relax for an hour while you chill out (or prepare your chicken ruby/curry).

After the dough has relaxed, divide it into four equal portions and roll it out with a rolling pin, stuff it with cheese, seal it up and let it relax again while you prep your melted butter and chopped cilantro.

When you’re ready to cook, roll out the naan again – don’t worry if some cheese escapes, this just gives you a crispy cheesy outside – and get ready to grill. Traditional naan cooks in a tandoori, but here we’re going to use a very hot dry cast iron pan. The naan gets puffy and golden and melty and it’s glorious to watch.

We devoured these guys. The contrast between the crisp browned outsides and the melty soft cheesy insides were SO GOOD. They reminded me of the Dishoom cheddar cheese naan. I could have ate all four by myself. There’s just something so comforting about carbs. Naan forever!

No Yeast Cheesy Naan Bread

For those times when you want to make bread but you don’t have yeast or sourdough starter: yogurt naan is the answer.

Serves 4

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup yogurt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar or cheese of choice
melted butter and chopped cilantro to serve

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and yogurt. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl or on a clean work surface. Make a well and slowly add in the milk-yogurt mix bit by bit, combining with the flour. Knead into a soft dough. Gather into ball and cover for 1 hour.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to flatten and stretch out, then place 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese in the middle. Pinch to enclose the cheese, then gently roll out again. If you’re having trouble rolling it out, let the balls of dough (with the cheese inside, rest, covered for 5-10 minutes)
Heat up a heavy bottomed or cast iron skillet (with a lid, preferably a glass lid) over high heat. Brush one side of the naan with water and place in the skillet, water side down.
Cover the pan and cook for 30 seconds, then check it to see if has started to bubble and rise.
Flip and cook the pan until it starts to brown.
When the naan is browned on both sides, brush with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle on chopped cilantro. Repeat with the remaining naan. Enjoy warm.