Oh my gosh. We had the best meal the other day.
Suffice it to say, I have discovered the chickpea.
The garbanzo bean.
The white, slightly round bean.
Have you noticed that beans are only 99¢ a can?
Talk about a better and cheaper way to get protein!
Also, the combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta cheese...
I've decided it's my favorite fresh flavor right now.
Am I alone in craving fresh things this time of year? I'm
There are a couple parts to this recipe, so I'm just going to jump right in.
After I say that this idea was copied almost exactly from sheena at the little red house.
She has some lovely photographs of the naan-making process if you like the step-by-step approach.
Tip: Just one serving of this was extremely filling (and fantastic!), so I'd suggest only making as much of the naan as you think you'll need and freezing the rest of the dough. Just take out the dough in the morning and let thaw / rise until dinner time.
And remember, do not fear the yeast.
Yeast is your friend.
This recipe is so easy and so worth it.
So hop to it!
Whole Wheat Naan
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons yeast (I use quick-rising)
1 teaspoon agave nectar or other sweetener
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 large egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
olive oil for cooking
In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sweetener, and let stand until foamy (just a minute or so if using quick-rising yeast).
Stir in the oil, yogurt, and egg until combined, then mix in the flour and salt. Knead until the dough is soft and pliable, and stays together in a ball.
Cover bowl with a clean towel and let dough raise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into about eight pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle (about 1/4" thick).
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook each dough circle one by one until blistered and cooked through (flipping after about a minute when dough starts to bubble...just like cooking a raw tortilla).
Serve alongside curry and fresh veggies or top with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro.Or sauteed chicken and tzatziki sauce. Or top with chickpea & chicken salad (recipe below).
Chickpea Salad
couple of chicken breasts, thawed and diced
can of chickpeas, drained
juice of one lemon
olive oil
garlic
oregano
S&P
1/2 cucumber, diced
one tomato, diced
feta cheese
plain / Greek yogurt
Saute chicken breasts and chickpeas in lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, and oregano. When chicken is cooked through, remove from heat.
Toss chicken and chickpeas with cucumber, tomato, and feta.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of lemon juice on top of a circle of whole wheat naan.