This Homemade Bullet Naan recipe is quick to make and easy to cook in a skillet or frying pan. Soft fluffy naan bread with a spicy kick.
Bullet naan is spicy naan! This easy Indian flatbread is topped with jalapeños and cilantro leaves (fresh coriander leaves), then once cooked, it is brushed with butter. Giving you a delicious bread that packs a punch and is fabulous with creamy curries.
This is a yeast dough, but it is straightforward to make, and with this easy recipe, you will learn how to create and enjoy bullet naan at home. I promise yeast isn't as scary as you think!
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What is bullet naan?
Bullet naan is a spicy naan bread popular in Indian cuisine. It is the traditional naan bread dough, that once rolled out, is topped with chili and cooked over high heat to get the classic naan char. Once cooked, it is brushed with butter and topped with cilantro. This naan is full of big, bold flavors!
Is bullet naan spicy?
Oh yes! This is spicy naan bread! You can tone down the spicy by using more or less jalapeños, but this is a spicy Indian bread.
Ingredient Tips
- Dried Instant Yeast - this is my preference as it can be stirred straight into the dough. But you can substitute it for dried active yeast. Just be sure to bloom the yeast first. Directions are given for this is the recipe below.
- All-Purpose Flour/Plain Flour - how you fill your cups will make a big difference to the amount of flour you are adding to the stand mixer. To ensure the dough isn't too wet or too stiff, start by adding 1 ½ cups of flour and mixing it. If you find the dough is too wet, add up to ½ cup more flour.
If you have scales in the house, grab them! By weight, you need 10.5oz/300g of flour. - Jalapeños - you can use any chili in this recipe. Green is more traditional, but use what you have or what you enjoy.
- Cilantro/Coriander leaves - although traditional, if you hate cilantro, just leave it off the finished naan breads.
- Butter - again, butter or ghee is traditional here, but if you want to make vegan naan bread, substitute it with your favorite vegan 'butter' or use a little coconut oil.
How to cook naan bread at home
To replicate the heat and conditions of the traditional tandoor oven, use a heavy skillet/griddle. Cast iron is perfect here as it can store and hold a lot of heat.
The cooking surface wants to be super hot, so the dough cooks instantly and puffs up.
I like to heat my cast iron griddle for 10 minutes over medium-high heat, Or my non-stick skillet for 5 minutes over high heat.
Once the pan is hot, do not add oil. Place the naan bread onto the skillet/griddle and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. It should puff in places and get some good color on the bubbles.
Remove the bread to a plate, brush with butter and sprinkle with cilantro/coriander leaves.
What to serve with naan
These spicy naan breads are perfect for serving with your favourite curry or a warming bowl of soup. Try:
Enjoy x
For more delicious naan bread recipes why not try:
- Peshwari Naan
- Garlic Naan
- Aloo Naan (coming soon)
- Cheese Naan (coming soon)
- Chicken Naan (coming soon)
Pin this recipe for Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken.
Pin it here.
Homemade Bullet Naan
Ingredients
For the naan breads
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon dried instant yeast/dry active yeast
- 1 ½ - 2 cups all-purpose flour/plain flour - see note 1
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon oil (canola/vegetable/sunflower)
For the topping
- 2-3 jalapeños or green chilies - see note 2
- ¼ cup butter (melted) - see note 3
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander leaves (plus extra for garnish) - see note 4
Instructions
To make the dough (STAND MIXER METHOD)
- Set your stand mixer up with a dough hook.
- Measure the water into the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle over the yeast. Leave for 5 minutes.
¾ cup warm water
1 teaspoon dried yeast - Add the flour, salt, sugar, and oil to the bowl.
1½-2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon oil - Mix on low for 10 minutes until you have an elastic dough.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to rise for 20 minutes.
To make the dough (BY HAND METHOD)
- Measure the water into a bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Leave for 5 minutes.
¾ cup warm water
1 teaspoon dried yeast - Add the flour, salt, sugar, and oil.
1½-2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon oil - Use a fork or butter knife to combine all the ingredients, once you have a raggy looking dough, start using your hands to bring the dough together, until the sides of the bowl are clean.
- Empty the dough on a floured board and knead the dough for 15 minutes.
- Place in a bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave for 20 minutes.
To form and cook the naan
- Slice the jalapeños into rings and set to one side.
2-3 jalapeños - Once the dough has sat for 20 minutes, punch it back down and then divide the dough into three roughly equal balls.
- Use your rolling pin to lightly roll the naan into an oval/teardrop/circle shape. Roll until you have a naan about ½" (9mm) thick (ensure they will fit in your skillet/griddle).
- Push the slices of jalapeños into the top of the naan and spinkle with the chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander leaves - Put a heavy skillet/griddle/frying pan over high heat and allow it to get searingly hot. Don't add any oil/butter. (at least 5 minutes)
- Place the dough, jalapeños side down, onto the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes, it should start to puff up and charr lightly.
- Flip the bread and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Remove to a plate, brush with the melted butter.
- Cover with foil and keep in a low oven while you prepare the other breads.
- Scatter with extra fresh cilantro/coriander to serve.
Notes
- Not all cup measures are created equal, Depending on how you fill your cup, the quantity of flour will vary quite significantly! Start by adding 1 ½ cups of flour and mixing it, if you find the dough is too wet, add up to ½ cup more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If you have scales in the house, then this is the perfect time to use them. By weight you need 10.5oz/300g of flour.
- You can use any chili in this recipe. Green is more traditional, but use what you have or what you enjoy.
- Butter or ghee is traditional here, but if you want to make vegan naan bread, substitute it with your favorite vegan 'butter' or use a little coconut oil.
- Although traditional, if you hate cilantro, just leave it off the finished naan breads. (chives or green onion would add a fresh flavor if you would like a substitute)
Saad Zakko says
Can I cook naan dough in pizza oven ?
Claire McEwen says
I haven't tried it, but I am pretty sure that would work really well!
Pizza ovens are so hot so it should work like a tandoor oven and give you a great tasting naan!
Hope that helps
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