Cheese & Garlic Naan

way better than boring old rice

You know that moment where you smell something delicious and think: “Damn! Whatever the neighbours are cooking, I want me some.”

And then you realise the heavenly odour is coming from inside your own kitchen.

Well I had that last week thanks to a slowly simmering chicken masala that spent four hours in my slow cooker.

A curry that good needed a side dish worthy of it so I set out to make a grain-free version of one of Hubs’ favourite Indian restaurant foods. The cheesy garlic naan. I’m not sure how authentically Indian it is, but it seems to show up on menus a lot.

a place of naan! (they are very filling but leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge)

Full disclosure – this recipe is merely a variation of an astounding pizza crust from Feed The Clan. I found this crust a few years ago and haven’t used anything else since. Forget cauliflower crusts, coconut flour crusts or meat crusts, this is the real deal for grain-free pizza lovers.

It’s best feature is the chewy, springy texture. It comes out crispy on the outside but soft inside, making it the perfect naan.

Cheese & Garlic Naan (makes 6)

*adapted slightly from Feed The Clan’s grain-free pizza crust

• 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 large cloves garlic minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the garlic and tapioca flour and stir until combined. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the eggs, followed by the coconut flour to make a thick batter.
4. Spoon this onto a lined baking tray, using the spoon to create an oval shape. I made three medium sized ovals with my batter.
5. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese over each then bake at 375 for 35 minutes until firm on top and browned on the bottom.
6. Remove from oven and slice in half to serve.

 Like this? You might also like:

• Plantain Pancakes
• Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Balls)
• Maple Sweet Potato Bread