Salt Block Grilled Naan

Equipment

• Grill

Ingredients

• 1 (10-inch) square salt block, at least 1½ inches thick, or other large salt block
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• ¾ cup hot tap water (120°F), divided
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander seeds, divided
• 1½ cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for coating
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Pinch finely ground kala namak (Indian black salt), plus more for sprinkling
• 1 cup (approximately) whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided

Instructions

1. 1Mix the yeast and 1/4 cup of the hot water in a large bowl until the yeast dissolves, about 3 minutes.
2. 2Whisk the yogurt, 1 teaspoon of the ground coriander, and the remaining 1/2 cup of hot water in a medium bowl. Stir this into the yeast mixture.
3. 3Add the bread flour and stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
4. 4Stir in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil, the sugar, a pinch of kala namak, and enough whole-wheat flour to make a kneadable dough.
5. 5Knead the dough on a clean work surface, adding extra flour as needed to prevent sticking, until it feels smooth and elastic.
6. 6Lightly oil the large bowl. Turn the dough in the bowl to coat the surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
7. 7About an hour before grilling, place the salt block on an unheated gas grill. Heat the grill to low, close the lid, and warm the block for 20 minutes. Heating the block gradually prevents it from cracking under thermal shock.
8. 8Increase the heat to medium for 20 minutes, then to high for a final 20 minutes. A laser thermometer aimed at the center of the block should read around 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. 9If using a charcoal grill instead, bank a chimney of red-hot briquettes to one side. Place the block on the grate away from the fire and cover. After 20 minutes, add 12 more pieces of charcoal and carefully move the block directly over the new coals using heat-resistant gloves. Heat for another 30 minutes until it reaches 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. 10While the block heats, warm the curry powder, milk, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool.
11. 11Once at room temperature, blend the spice mixture with 4 tablespoons of the softened butter and set aside.
12. 12Divide the risen dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and flatten into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Cover with a kitchen towel and rest for 5 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten, making the dough much easier to roll out.
13. 13Lightly flour your surface and roll each disk into a 9-inch oval about 1/4 inch thick. Brush each flatbread with canola oil.
14. 14Place one piece of dough directly onto the hot salt block. Bake for about 4 minutes until puffed and browned. Remove with tongs and repeat with the remaining dough.
15. 15Immediately brush each hot flatbread with the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of kala namak and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander before serving.

Recipe Details