Portugal!

PORTUGAL

After yet another journey across the Mediterranean, we've left the site of baron deserts, gargantuan pyramids, and a culture steeping in a history that withstood the sands of time. Now we arrive in Portugal- a land of underrated beauty, limitless coastal beaches, and miles upon miles of breath-taking landscape waiting to be discovered. In a place so renowned for their surf-and-turf, we thought it would be a challenge to come up with some dishes that would not only be vegetarian-friendly, but would also well-represent the traditional staple cuisine. Here's a little taste of what we came up with!

 

Green Beans & Tomatoes

This is a simple recipe, easy to make and filled with familiar savory taste of tomato. This dish works perfectly as a snack or a side to almost any meal. It is extremely versatile, you can give this dish a kick with cayenne or make it zesty by adding lemon juice.



Ingredients:

1 Large onion, finely chopped
1 Clove of garlic, Minced
2 tbsp Olive oil
3 Cups green beans cut in half
3 Tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp dried Basil


Instructions:

1. Saute onion and garlic in the oil for approximately 5 minutes, or until the onion is transparent.
2. Add all the other ingredients, fry for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

Rissoles & Corn Flour Gravy

 These are absolutely mouth watering, what can be any better than a succulent mixture of tantalizing spices and veggie-ground delicately fried and smothered in mouth-watering mushroom gravy? The corn flour gives the mushroom gravy a unique taste. This is a beautifully unique spin on a classic Portuguese meat dish.

Gravy 

   

Ingredients:

 

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil (veg or corn oil works too!)

1 cup corn flour

3 cups water

1 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (we used button)

2/3 cup green onion, sliced

Instructions:

  

1. Fry the butter in a pan over medium heat until fully melted

2. Saute corn flour in butter for 2-5 minutes

3. In a separate pan fry the onion and mushrooms together for 5 minutes.

4. Mix the mushrooms and onions into the cornflour mixture and slowly add water over the next 5-10 minutes. Stir consistently to prevent clumping.

Rissoles 

 Ingredients:

 

 750 g veggie ground round (we used st.ives)

1 med onion, finely chopped

1 med carrot, peeled and grated

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs, beaten lightly

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions:

1 Combine veggie meat, onion, carrot, thyme leaves, garlic and eggs in a bowl.

2 Dived and roll the mixture into small balls.

3 Place flour in bowl, toss rissoles in flour, shake off excess flour.

4 Fry the rissoles in butter until brown on both sides.

Sweet Bread

A new take on your typical bread recipe; this bread is busting with sweet flavour! The sugar and cinnamon complement the bread enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, while maintaining the hearty taste of bread. This dish is comforting and can be paired with jam, cinnamon and butter or simply a big glass of milk!  

Ingredients:
  


2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup Milk
1 cup Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 tsp Salt

6 cup Flour
4 Eggs


Instructions:

  
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
 2. Dissolve yeast in warm water.  
3. Scald milk and add sugar, butter and salt. Stir until butter is melted. Mix in the cinnamon and flour. Add 1/2 the flour to the mixture and stir until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl. 
4. Beat 3 of the 4 eggs and add them and the yeast to the mixture
5. Add remaining flour to the mixture gradually. 
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on floured board. Knead until smooth, this should take about 15 minutes.  
7.Shape into a ball and place in buttered bowl. Cover and let rise until double in size. This could take up to 3 hours, very important that it DOUBLES in size. 
8.Punch risen dough down and divide it in half. Place in two greased pans (8 inches round). Let rise in warm place until double in size , another hour and a half. Brush tops of dough with remaining egg (beaten).
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Egypt!

                

EGYPT

                

VeggieWorld is back again! We've traveled 300 miles south-west along the coast of the Mediterranean only to arrive in the picturesque locality of Egypt. Steeping with ancient history and an unforgettable culture, we thought to ourselves, "This place must be bursting with great food!". We quickly discovered that we hadn't even known the half of it, as this land of sand has shown us some of the finest, and yet most simple dishes the world over. Here are some of the amazing recipes we've come across since dabbling into an unforgettable cuisine, dating back thousands upon thousands of years ago.

White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 can white beans ( or 2 cups cooked)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup grape tomatoes

for the Vinaigrette;

1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh tomato juice or V8 juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper


Instructions:

1. Steam the broccoli florets for 2 minutes, then rinse the florets under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
2. Place the beans in a colander and drain under cold water to remove excess starch.
3. Tear the basil into small pieces.
4. In a serving dish combine the broccoli, beans, basil and tomatoes.


This dish was a bit of an acquired taste, but also leaves much room for experimentation. For added nutritional value, try to utilize the freshest and rawest vegetables for the end result. How you choose to prepare the broccoli and beans will greatly affect the outcome of this dish, but don't let that stop you! Getting this dish right will effectively make you reserve a spot on your stay-at-home menu for this simple Egyptian delicacy.





Lentil & Feta Bake

Ingredients:

375ml lentils (soaked overnight)
60g breadcrumbs ( You can buy bread crumbs, or choose your favourite bread and make your own!)
100g Finely chopped hazelnuts
1 tsp mustard
freshly ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 carrots, grated
2 egg whites
6-8 slices feta cheese
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
small amount chopped fresh basil


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Take the lentils you have soaked over night and cook them in boiling water for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
3. Drain the lentils and mix with the breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, mustard, salt and pepper.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and saute leeks and carrots until tender.
5. Add the carrots and leeks to lentil mixture, and stir in the egg whites.
6. Put the mixture in an oven safe casserole dish
8. Top the mixture with the feta, then arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle the remaining oil over them.
9. Add the finishing touch by sprinkling the parsley and basil on top.
10. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven.
11. Remove lid and bake for a further 3-8 minutes . At this point you can switch the oven to broil for a crispier top!


We chose this recipe for the unexpected combination of ingredients, and for it's delightfully unexpected deliciousness! Who would have ever expected lentils, feta, mustard, hazelnuts, eggs and breadcrumbs to fit so exceptionally together? Despite our initial hesitation, this dish turned out wonderful. It is chock-full of protein and many different flavours to tantalize your taste buds. The hazelnuts give a nice crunch while the feta adds a smooth, yet delicious taste to the mix, making for a dish you won't soon forget. I know we won't!

Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups chopped onions (There's a lot of crying involved )
2 tbsp vegetable oil (olive works too!)
2 cups potatoes, diced
5 cups cauliflower, chopped (about 3/4 of a head)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel
4 cups hot water
2 vegetable bouillon cube ( found at most grocery stores)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped chives (to top soup, optional)


Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, saute onions in oil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until translucent an slightly browned
2. Add the chopped potatoes, cumin, and fennel. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the hot water and cover the pan, turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
4. Add the cauliflower and bouillon cubes and return to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender.
6. Place the vegetable/broth mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.
7. Mix in the lemon juice, salt and pepper to your liking.
8. Reheat the soup in the pan (careful not to overheat it!)
9. Garnish with chives and enjoy!



This is hands-down some the best soup we have ever tried. This absolutely delicious dish has made it's way near the top of our stay-at-home menu, and we're almost positive it will do the same for all those brave enough to conquer it. The flavours work immaculately together and will have you coming back for more. It has the most wonderful silky texture; comparable only to the wares of the finest silk-traders in all the land! Absolutely worth trying.


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Lebanon!

LEBANON

LEBANON

LEBANON

After a very brief hiatus, VeggieWorld is back with even more delicious and nutritious Vegetarian dishes-- this time, moving overseas from sunny South America back into the Middle-east. This week's additions to the blog is Lebanon, which offered us a chance to come up with a few neat contemporary twists on some classical meals- varying from a scrumptious Falafel recipe, to a quick and easy method of preparing a delicious Tabouli. We have many more surprises in store for all the aspiring chefs and VeggieWorld readers out there, so stay tuned!

Vegetable Ragout

This dish was simply breath-taking, from the very first bite to the very end of the meal. If you have a hankering for a strong, savoury dish- absolutely exploding with flavour and crave-inducing texture- then look no further! This Lebanese-style Ragout is sure to become a staple in your stay-at-home menu, as it is not only extremely palatable (with a variety of great flavours, ranging from brown sugar and cinnamon to succulent artichoke hearts), but is also rich with nutrients. The addition and removal of bundled parsley may seem a bit unusual, but it's a great way to utilize the flavour without adding an intrusive texture to this delicate delicacy. For best results, insure that your ingredients are always as fresh as can be!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions diced
10 garlic cloves diced
1 (14 ounce) can tomato diced
4 carrot peeled and sliced into thin strips
2 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 small bunch parsley, rinsed and strung together (to simplify removal)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 zucchini diced
1 (8 ounce) can artichoke heart diced (drain before dicing)
1 (15 ounce) can bean/bean blend of choice (drained)
1 cup plain yogurt


Instructions:

1. In a medium pan, add olive oil and adjust the heat to med-high.
2. Add the diced onions, making sure to stir frequently for 4-5 mins, or until onions are golden-brown.
3. Add the diced garlic and fry for an additional 1 min.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, sliced carrots, diced potatoes and parsley. Reduce heat. Cover and cook 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
5. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, coriander, diced zucchini, diced artichoke hearts, and beans. Cover again and allow to cook for an additional 10 mins.
6. Remove the bunch of parsley. Reduce heat, and add the yogurt. Stir while allowing the dish to cook for another 3-5 minutes before serving.

Batinjan Imfasakh

This dish had a bit of an acquired taste, with a very unorthodox texture to go with it. It made a very savoury side dish, accompanying the other dishes we prepared very well. Please note that eggplants can be quite difficult to cook with, so this can be a bit of a challenge to prepare correctly. The plain yogurt is such a wonderful additive to this dish as well, providing it with the aforementioned savoury flavour.

Ingredients:

2 large Eggplants
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 Garlic clove
1 cup Yogurt


Instructions:

1. Skin the eggplants (fairly simple with a small knife) and slice very thin.
2. Fry the slices in olive oil until soft and golden brown (make sure they are really soft).
3. Remove from the frying pan and mash in a large bowl.
4. Dice the garlic really thin, and add to the bowl.
5. Add the yogurt and mix.

Falafel

We are big Falafel enthusiasts here at VeggieWorld, and this recipe definitely does justice-- not to mention how easy it is to prepare compared to most other falafel recipes! The ingredients are extremely affordable- even in the most frugal of vegetarian meal budgets- and it is relatively simple to prepare. The finished product is a delicious Falafel, beautifully accompanying almost any salad, served as a delicious side dish, or coupled up with your favourite ingredients into a delectable Falafel wrap!

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas (drained)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic minced well
1 tsp coriander
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup oil (olive, vegetable, or canola is sufficient.)


Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients (except for the oil).
2. Mash up the chickpeas in the mixture.
3. Put in a food processor (If you dont have one, dont worry! You’ll just have to work a little harder mashing it up!).
4. Roll mixture into small balls.
5. Heat the oil in the frying pan until nice an hot, then plop them in and fry them up!
6. Continue frying until golden brown.

Tabouli

This simple recipe is quite easy to prepare, and utilizes very little ingredients, but is great for your health! It is very open to experimentation-- feel free to add absolutely anything you feel would enhance the characteristic flavour of this classic dish. Tabouli is great on the side, as an additive in wraps or salads, or even as a delicious and nutritious snack any time of the day. If you're feeling lazy, or just tight on time, then try some Tabouli!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of parsley diced
½ bunch of mint
1-2 tomatoes diced
1 lemon halved and squeezed
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt


Instructions:

1. With a large knife, dice the parsley, mint, and tomato as finely as possible (if you have a food processor, feel free to use it, but be lenient during usage).
2. Mix the diced ingredients into a large bowl.
3. Add olive oil and squeeze the lemon juice onto the mixture. Be sure to only use the juice, and discard the lemons after squeezing.
4. Add salt, and toss or stir well.

Peru!

PERU

This week's addition to the Veggie World blog is Peru! The delicious Peruvian delicacies we tackled this week are not only simple and easy to make, but might even become a staple in your stay-at-home menu! To acquire all of the ingredients you see on this list, you may want to try shopping at your local Latin grocer, as many super-markets do not carry certain ingredients, such as Queso Fresco (fresh farmer's cheese), or in some instances, Quinoa.
These dishes were a big hit, leaving us with some fond memories, and a potential meal for future guests! We also found that these dishes to be especially good the following day, making for some delicious left overs.

Ensalada de Choclo

So you're strapped for time, but want to try something new and exciting which won't take long to make… Well look no further-- this is the dish for you!
Ensalada de Choclo is a rich corn salad, full of flavour and complete with a savoury texture to keep you coming back for more. Though this dish will take a little bit of preparatory measures to ensure that you get the recipe just right, the initial preparation is short and sweet, giving you ample time to prepare any entree you plan to serve this with. As an added bonus, you may want to leave this dish in the fridge overnight, giving the flavours time to blend.
You're receiving a personal Veggieworld recommendation! Go on and try this simple, yet delicious recipe out for yourself.

Ingredients:

3 cups of corn
1 bell pepper, chopped (we used green)
1 red onion, finely chopped
8 ounces queso fresco (This is the traditional cheese, however it is hard to find so we used feta and it worked nicely)
3 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp minced cilantro
Salt and pepper as needed

Instructions:

1) Toss everything together!
2) Serve immediately. Alternatively, store overnight to allow the flavour soak in!

 

 

Sopa de Quinua

Otherwise known as Quinoa soup, this dish is teeming with texture and is simple to prepare. And best of all, it's very rich in nutrients! The Quinoa seed has a very unique character when cooked, but also contains a surprisingly well-balanced set of essential amino acids, making it a fairly complete protein source. This is music to the ears of any Vegan/Vegetarian diet!
For a vegan variation on this dish, don't forget that you can always substitute the egg, or leave it out all together. This dish leaves plenty of room for pleasant experimentation, so try something new and utilize it's full flavour potential!

Ingredients:

200 g of quinoa ( Found in most grocery stores, try the health section, or ask about “red mill” products)
6 cups of water
1 tbsp of minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bell pepper (we used green)
1 finely chopped red onion
3 hard boiled eggs
Salt and pepper as needed

Instructions:

1) Fry the garlic, cumin and onion in the olive oil on med-high.
2) Add the water and uncooked quinoa.
3) When the quinoa is cooked (it will appear soft and puffy) add the eggs and diced bell pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

 Arroz Tapado

 Arroz Tapado is a fun and aesthetically pleasing entree, complete with a very interesting presentation, as well as an unforgettable flavour. If you have a bit of extra time on your hands to get this dish just right, then by all means try it out! We guarantee that you will not only have a blast making this dish, but that you will have just as much fun eating it.
Traditionally, this dish is made with chicken broth, and is stuffed with ground beef. However, our vegetarian modifications have proven exceptionally effective; replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and the ground beef with veggie ground. Delicious!

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
3 cups water
1 cup frozen peas
Salt to taste
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 package of veggie ground round (found in most grocery stores)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tomato, diced
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1) Cover a pan in vegetable oil, and fry the minced garlic in the vegetable oil on med-high until it begins to brown. Add the water (careful the hot oil jumps when you do this!), uncooked rice and salt. After 5-10 minutes add the frozen peas.
Cover and let simmer on low heat until water is absorbed. Turn the heat very low to keep it warm.
2) In another pan, sauté the onion in the olive oil until it becomes a light golden brown, add the veggie ground round and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chile pepper, and raisins and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is evaporated.
3) Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 5 or 10 minutes longer. Take off heat and season with salt and pepper.
4) Grease a cup or small bowl with butter. Fill 1/3 with rice, making sure to leave ample space in the middle for the filling. Add the veggie ground on top, and fill the rest with rice. Press firmly into the cup/small bowl then flip it over onto your plate and tap on the bottom for it to come out. Additionally, you may garnish it with sliced olive, banana peppers, or cilantro.

These are just some of the dishes from a country just bursting with amazing cuisine! Try out some of these dishes, and like us, never be afraid to add your own little twist on a traditional recipe.

Happy Halloween!

Japan !!!

JAPAN

Japan has been one of the more entertaining countries we have covered this far, as well as one of the most challenging! From the decadent Sesame Tofu garnished in green onions, to the very sumptuous Vegetable and Tofu Nori rolls; everything turned out delicious and was definitely a treat to eat. If you want a challenge, as well as a great time, then this is the cuisine for you!

                   Sesame Tofu with Green Onion

The Sesame Tofu turned out spectacular! We coupled it with some of the rice from the Nori rolls, which worked well with the sesame flavour of the Tofu. It was the perfect counterpart to this mouth-watering feast. The best part about it is the simplicity- it requires very little time and resource to prepare such a great dish. Go ahead and try it out yourself!

Ingredients

1 package extra-firm tofu

2 ¼ cup green onions

2 tbsp soy sauce of your choice

1 tbsp rice vinegar

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon (toasted/untoasted) sesame oil

2 tsp maple syrup

2 cups rice of your choice

Directions

1. Preheat then oven to 375°F. Slice the Tofu into small rectangular slices, and slice them again length wise, leaving the tofu in smaller rectangular pieces. 

2. Prepare the rice of your choice according to the directions of the package. 

3. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sesame oil and maple syrup into a casserole dish or on a baking sheet and mix the ingredients well. Add the tofu slices to the mixture and be sure to coat both sides of the individual slices well. Give the tofu cutlets 10-20 to marinade in the mixture before baking.

4. Add the 2 cups of green onions to the dish, and bake for 20 minutes. Serve atop your choice of rice. Alternatively, garnish with the remained of the chopped green onions.

Vegetable and Tofu Nori rolls

This was a bit of a challenge at first, but you (much like us) will more than likely get the hang of the rolling process after a few tries. Don't forget your sushi rolling mat! Our variation of the recipe incorporated some of the sesame tofu, as well as some shredded cucumber, carrot, and avocado. This recipe turned out to be quite enjoyable!

Ingredients

3 cups sushi rice(must be sushi rice, no other rice will work)

Nori(dried seaweed found in most grocery stores)

1 cup shredded cucumber

1 cup shredded carrot

1-2 avocados sliced thin

any other ingredient you would like to try in your sushi!

Directions

1. Place nori on the sushi mat, rough side facing up

2. Spread sushi rice over nori leaving the top 1cm bare (keep a glass of warm water near by for your hands because the rice is very sticky)

3. Place all the filling ingredients in a line near the bottom of the nori sheet

4.Hold the sushi mat and begin to roll, as you roll press the sushi together

5. Continue to roll until you have made the roll of sushi

6. Slice very carefully and slowly with a sharp knife to make the individual pieces. You can slice 4-6 times depending on how big you want them.

Ichigo Daifuku

Such a treat! The texture of this delicacy was quite characteristic of some of the Japanese treats we've encountered so far; however, the slight chewy/gumminess was something almost unique to this delicious dessert. The flavour is to die for , you might just see yourself craving this amazing desert days after you made it! It will take a little while to master the wrapping process involved, but once you get the hang of it, it's quite entertaining to prepare!

Ingredients

1 cup  rice flour
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water For filling
1/2 cup premade anko (sweet red bean paste)
6 strawberries (or fruit of choice, cut into strawberry sized pieces)

Directions

1. Put rice flour, sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl, microwave for 2 minutes or until the dough rises

2. Cut up fruit or cut the green tops off of the strawberries and coat with pre-made red bean paste

3. Wrap the dough around the bean paste and fruit . Careful! The dough is really sticky, have flour or water nearby to limit the dough from sticking to everything. 

4. Once wrapped, they are ready to enjoy!

South India!

 

Curried chickpeas and potatoes

This is something we improvised so it doesn't have a traditional name or recipe. For a dish made up on the spot it was excellent! A really subtle curry taste along with the great texture of the potatoes and chickpeas makes this a delight to eat.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup chick peas

4 small potatoes

1 cup your vegetables of choice

1 cup of prepared curry sauce

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

1. Fry 2 minced cloves garlic in 1 tbsp oil.

2. Add spinach, potatoes and any other vegetable you see fit allow 5-10 minutes to cook.

3. Add approximately 1 cup prepared curry sauce.

4. Add Indian spices like cumin, curry, coriander powder or red chili pepper (if you want it spicy).

5. Let simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh cilantro for taste, and serve!

 

Spicy Red Curry Recipe 

This recipe sure has a kick, if you are one for spice you will love it! If not, simply do not add the red chili powder. We had a hard time finding tamarind paste (you might want to try an Indian market if you can find one near by) so we didn't use any. However, even without the paste, the dish turned out very flavourful and made the whole house smell of delicious curry!

Taken from recipesindia.com

Ingredients:

 
1 can chick peas
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam Masala
A few cilantro Leaves
½ tsp tamarind paste.
1 tbsp oil

Instructions:

 
1. Put the tamarind paste in some hot water.
2. Heat the oil, onions, garlic and ginger. Fry for roughly 2 minutes.
3. Add the garam masala and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes, and continue frying. Add cumin, coriander and chili powders, and season with salt.
4. Fry for another 5 minutes. Add chick peas, cook for a few minutes.
5. Add ½ cup of water and the tamarind paste and allow it to boil.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves, and serve!

Naan bread

           Absolutely delicious when made properly, this bread really goes well with curries and other Indian dishes. You can top it, dip it or break it up and throw it in the curry! Make sure you allow yourself enough time to make this (note you need to let it rise for 2-3 hours). Allowing the bread time to rise is very important and will contribute to the texture. The Nigella seeds add a nice flavour, but are hard to find and not necessary for the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 cups White Flour (Maida) 

1/2 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Salt 

1/2 cup Milk 

1 tbsp Sugar 

1 Egg 

4 tbsp Oil 

1 tsp Nigella seeds (Kalunji) (optional)

Instructions:

1. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and make a well in the middle.

2. Mix the sugar, milk, eggs and 2 tbsp of oil in a bowl.

3. Pour this into the center of the flour and knead, adding water if necessary to soften dough.

4. Add the remaining oil, knead again, then cover with damp cloth and allow the dough to stand for 15 minutes. Knead the dough again and cover and leave for 2-3 hours.

5. About half an before the naan are required, turn on the oven to maximum heat.

6. Divide the dough into 8 balls and and allow them to sit for 3-4 minutes.

7. Sprinkle a baking sheet with nigella seeds and put it in the oven to heat while the dough is resting.

8. Shape each ball of dough into a flat oval shape.

9. Bake the raw naan until puffed up and golden brown. Serve hot.