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Naan-e-barbari
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Naan-e-Barbari | Traditional Iranian Flat-Bread

Naan-e-Barbari, Persian/Iranian Traditional Bread. A most commonly baked bread in Iran, thick and oval-shaped, also known as Tabrizi Bread or Nan-e Tabrizi.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine Iranian cuisine, Middle-eastern, Persian
Keyword flat bread, Flat bread with yeast, How to bake bread, Iranian bread, Middle-eastern bread, Traditional iranian bread, Yeast bread recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Proof time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 5 people
Calories 287kcal

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoon honey
  • 1 ½ cups warm water at 45C/ 90F
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups of whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Nigella seeds / Sesame seeds/ Poppy seeds to sprinkle i used both nigella & sesame seeds

For the Roomal/baking soda-flour glaze:

  • ½ teaspoon flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • cup water

Instructions

  • Take yeast, honey and the warm water in the food processor bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix, and allow the yeast to dissolve. Then add 1 ¼ cups of flour and pulse a couple of times so you have batter-like mixture. Leave this in the bowl for about 20 minutes.
  • The mixture in the food processor bowl should be “spongy” looking by now. Add the remaining flour, baking powder, salt  and process until you have a pliable dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Turn out the dough onto an un-floured working surface. The dough might stick a little to your surface and if you find it difficult to work with this, lightly oil your work surface or use a dough scraper. Do NOT add flour! I added oil to the dough first and started working it.
  • Hold the dough in both hands and flip it over and beat it down hard on your work surface while still holding it. It is just like how we use to wash our clothes before the washing machine era. The dough will stretch a bit and the other end will land on the work surface with a “thwacking” sound. Fold the dough in half away from you, and repeat this beating motion a few times until your dough is really soft and smooth. Your dough should pass the window pane test.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl and cover. Let it rise until double in volume. Though there is no need to oil the bowl, i oiled the bowl well and placed the dough inside for proofing. I left the dough for about 2 hours, since it is a bit chill here now. 

Let us make Roomal

  • In the meanwhile prepare the “Roomal” or baking soda-flour glaze for the bread. Put all the ingredients together in a microwave-safe mug, Microwave cook @ medium heat, for 2 minutes, until the solution thickens a bit. Take it out and let the solution cool to room temperature. The same can be prepared on a stove-top, just whisk everything together in a pan, heat until boils and forms thick and spreadable solution

Divide & Second Proof

  • Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough onto it (do not knead) and divide it into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them apart on a sheet and cover with a towel and allow to rise for another 30 -40 minutes, until double its volume

Let us make the flat-bread

  • Work on one ball of dough at a time, keeping the others covered so they don’t dry out. Place a ball of dough on a lightly floured work surface and, using your fingers (lightly dust them with flour if you feel the need), lightly press out into an oval approximately 7” by 5”. Brush the entire surface of the dough well, with the “Roomal” or baking soda-flour glaze.
  • Dip your fingers in the “Roomal” and then use them to form 4 lengthwise furrows. You can press down almost to the bottom, as the “furrows” will disappear once the dough rises. I didn't get it properly with my fingers, so i used back of a spoon to make the same. Dip the back of spoon in roomal and press it on the dough to form a furrow. Sprinkle the Nigella seeds over the surface of the furrowed ovals.
  • Transfer it to a baking sheet dusted with semolina. The oval will elongate slightly when you pick it up. Otherwise, very gently stretch the oval from both ends making sure it is uniformly thick along its length and breadth. Allow the ovals to rise for about  20 minutes till they’re nice and puffy.
  • While the ovals are resting, preheat the oven to 200C.
  • Bake them in a preheated oven, for about 20 minutes till they’re done and golden brown. Serve them warm with cheese or a dip or just plain with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I served them hot with some Soup for snack.
  • Any leftover bread, can be stored on the kitchen counter, tightly wrapped for a day or two. If storing more then better to refrigerate or better freeze. Enjoy it warm. since i made just 4 small ovals, it got over the same day for me.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 623mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg