Homemade Whole-Wheat Naan

There are very few things I really, truly miss as a vegan. But naan bread is hands-down one of them. We order (or more recently, make) Indian food at least once a month (and sometimes it's more like once a week!) The past couple of times I've been so jealous of the buttery, fluffy, oh-so-delicious-to-soak-up-the-curry naan my husband gets. This time, I planned ahead and made my own vegan version. And I must say, I was quite pleased with myself with my delicious outcome ;-)

Freshly made, buttery-tasting, light, soft, perfect naan...

Recipe adapted from PETA's Homemade Vegan Naan
Makes about 8 naans
*Prep time is about 1 hour 45 minutes (the majority of that is waiting for dough to rise), so plan ahead if you're ordering your curry in!
Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
• 1 Tbsp melted Earth Balance butter
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp almond or soy milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/4  cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

Steps:

1. Put the yeast in a large bowl along with the warm water, and let sit for about 10 minutes. 
2. Add the sugar, milk, salt, and flours, and mix well. Then transfer to a floured large flat surface and knead for about 5-6 minutes, adding extra flour to avoid sticking as needed. 
3. Add a little oil to the large bowl and transfer the dough back into it. Cover the bowl and let sit for 1 hour, so that the dough rises. 
4. If you're ordering in, now's a good time to order! (About 35-40 minutes of prep time remain). Remove the dough from the bowl and separate it into balls, slightly larger than golf-ball size. Place on a cookie sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let sit for about 30 more minutes, and then flatten the balls so the dough is fairly thin. 
5. Heat oil in a large pan. Add 1-2 of the flattened dough patties to the pan. While cooking, brush the top with a little of the melted butter. Allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the dough on the top bubbles a bit (like a pancake) and there is a bit of browning on the bottom. Cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side, and repeat with the remaining dough. 
6. Keep warm until serving - place the cooked naan in a preheated oven or wrap in tin foil.

Enjoy! It's hard not to ;-)

This was so easy to make, and came out just like my favorite soft, slightly doughy naan from my favorite Indian places, with that hint of buttery flavor and perfectly cooked consistency.  I actually really liked the slightly healthier taste that using a little whole wheat flour added too. Perfect for sopping up your curry!

Notes:
Make sure to serve the bread fresh; there's such a difference when it's still warm and just made, so keep it warm in the oven or serve it straight from the pan. And in case you were wondering, I did try a few baked in the oven - it does not come out the same! Short of having a Tandoori oven, this recipe and prep method turns out some pretty awesome naan!