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Chur chur naan
Crushed flaky stuffed naan
Amritsar's crushed, flaky stuffed naan with ghee
IndianAmritsar's dhabas around the Golden Temple are famous for this one: a layered, potato-and-paneer stuffed naan that the cook slaps out of the tandoor and then crushes between both palms (chur chur means crumbled) so the flaky layers break apart and soak up a spoonful of ghee. It arrives crisp at the edges, soft and buttery inside, with spiced filling showing through the cracks, and is eaten for lunch with chole, a bowl of dal makhani and a glass of lassi. At home a very hot oven and a preheated tray stand in for the tandoor. The usual slip is skipping the ghee between the coils; without it the dough fuses and there are no layers to crush. Chef's tip: crush the naan the moment it leaves the oven, wrapped in a clean tea towel so your hands are protected; once it cools it cracks instead of flaking.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz plain flour (maida)
- 2 ⅛ oz plain yogurt
- ½ cup lukewarm milk
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the layers
- 1 ¾ oz gheemelted
- 2 tbsp plain flourfor sprinkling
For the filling
- 9 oz potatoesboiled, peeled and mashed
- 3 ½ oz paneergrated
- ½ red onionvery finely chopped
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp dried pomegranate seeds (anardana)crushed
- ½ tsp salt
To finish
- 1 ⅜ oz gheemelted
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour (maida), 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Add 2 ⅛ oz plain yogurt and most of ½ cup lukewarm milk and bring together, adding the rest of the milk only if needed, into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Step 2: Knead for 5 minutes, rub with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, cover and leave to rest for 1 hour; it softens and puffs a little rather than doubling.
60 minStep 3: Mix 9 oz potatoes, 3 ½ oz paneer, ½ red onion, 1 green chilli, 2 tbsp fresh coriander, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ tsp dried mango powder (amchur), 1 tsp dried pomegranate seeds (anardana) and ½ tsp salt into a dry, well-seasoned filling. Divide into 4 balls.
Step 4: Divide the dough into 4. Roll one piece as thin as you can into a rough 30 cm round, brush generously with some of 1 ¾ oz ghee and dust with a pinch of 2 tbsp plain flour.
Step 5: Pleat the round like a paper fan into a long ribbon, then coil the ribbon into a snail and tuck the end underneath. Repeat with the rest and leave the coils to rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 6: Put a heavy baking tray upside down on the top shelf and heat the oven to its hottest, about 475°F (450°F fan), for at least 20 minutes.
20 minStep 7: Flatten a coil, roll it to 12 cm, put a ball of filling in the middle and gather the edges over it. Pinch to seal, turn seam-side down and roll gently to an 18 cm round, brushing on the last of the layer ghee.
Step 8: Slide two naan onto the hot tray and bake for 8–10 minutes, until puffed, deep golden on top and crisp at the edges. Bake the other two the same way.
10 minStep 9: Straight from the oven, brush with 1 ⅜ oz ghee, fold a tea towel over each naan and crush it between your palms so the layers break up. Scatter with 1 tbsp fresh coriander and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chur chur naan take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 100 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour (maida)?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
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