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Naan never lasts long enough in my household to become leftovers. Just ask my 10-year-old, who can easily down a few pieces in one sitting. But as I was developing a miso garlic naan recipe for my upcoming cookbook, "Modern Asian Kitchen," I had a mission: To research theabsolute best way to reheat leftover naan to recommend tomy readers. I sought out an expert, Mary Usha, my neighbor from Hyderabad. She told me to first brush the naan with some milk or water, then wrap it in a moist paper towel before microwaving it for about 10 seconds. Then she instructed, "Ghee-up a pan" and pan-fry the microwaved naan for a minute or two on each side.
Trusting her wisdom -- after all, Mary makes some of the best homemade Indian food I've ever tasted -- I tried her method. Sure enough, the naan tasted terrific -- soft, chewy, and crispy around the edges -- as if I had just made it. In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is theabsolute best way to reheat leftover naan.
As a recipe developer, however, I remained curious and just had to test out a few other ways to reheat leftover naan to fully vet the microwave and pan-fry method. Later, I visitedKathakali, my favorite Indian restaurant in the greater Seattle area, and I noticed something intriguing.
Oven, Air Fryer, Skillet, Or Microwave? Unraveling The Naan Reheating Conundrum
The server at Kathakali wrapped my leftover naan in aluminum foil, so I asked: How do they suggest reheating it? Their answer? Bake it, wrapped in the foil, for up to 10 minutes at 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Eager, I tried this method the next day. The outcome was intriguing -- a naan that had taken on a crispy texture but with a noticeable dryness, somewhat reminiscent of a cracker. This made me think it might mimic the result of toasting naan in a conventional toaster or air fryer.
Perhaps wetting the naan first or introducing some steam during the reheating process in the oven could have made a difference. Placing a tray of water beneath the naan while it's baking might infuse the necessary moisture to retain its softness, all while achieving that desired crisp exterior.
I concluded my testing of different ways to reheat leftover naan. Now, I can confidently say the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan is Mary Usha's way, to microwave and then pan-fry it. In a pinch, just microwaving the moistened naan would suffice.For those who wish to use the oven, air fryer, or toaster, introduce steam or a touch of moisture to prevent dryness.But inthe end, we cannot overlook Mary Usha's wisdom. With decades spent perfecting homemade Indian dishesfor her family and, fortuitously, her eager neighbors (especially me), trusting her culinary insights seems only natural.
In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan.
Placing a tray of water beneath the naan while it's baking might infuse the necessary moisture to retain its softness, all while achieving that desired crisp exterior.
How do you keep naan warm for a party? Once you take the freshly made naan out of the skillet, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm dry place. Add the additional pieces of naan to the same kitchen towel so they can retain as much heat as possible.
Conventional Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Remove Naan from package and place on baking sheet.Sprinkle Naan lightly with water and place on middle oven rack.Heat 2–3 minutes, serve hot.
Naan bread typically lasts 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It can also last up to a week if refrigerated. Naan bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap each piece of naan in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag.
In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan.
You can warm naan over an open flame – you just need a gas burner (your stovetop or BBQ side burner). Turn the flame to medium and grab a pair of tongs to hold the naan. Carefully place the naan on the burner and turn constantly, it only takes about 90 seconds to warm the naan.
However, when reheating in the oven, you want to be careful so that the naan bread does not become overly crisp and dry out. Also, you want to make sure to not heat the naan bread for longer than required. That said, it is easy to reheat naan bread in the oven, as it restores the fluffy texture.
You can heat the curries to the max on a stove, cover the pot and let it sit on the turned off stove. Same for rotis, make fresh rotis and wrap it in aluminium foil, keep this in a hot pack. When you want to reheat everything, heat the curries in the pot over the stove.
Either transfer your dough to a lidded container or cover your bowl with plastic wrap if you did not do so in step 3. Move the bowl or loosely lidded container to the fridge and store overnight, but no more than 48 hours—the gluten will begin to break down, and the flavor will become too ethanol-y.
Naan bread is soft, fluffy, and chewy, whereas pita bread is denser with a slightly crispy texture on the outside. Naan bread also has a buttery flavor due to the ghee and buttermilk in the dough, which adds an extra dimension of flavor compared to pita bread's more neutral taste.
Yes, they are safe. The reason why warming up is recommended is simply taste and texture: When cool, they are more rigid, dry and crumbly, warmed up they become soft and more pleasant to eat. So if you are just hungry, start nibbling.
Naan is best stored sealed in a bread box or dark location to help preserve its aroma and flavor. What if you have extras that you want to freeze? Naan can be easily frozen and thawed to room temperature – no special treatment required.
One by one, drape each naan sheet over the 'oven' and bake until golden and slightly puffy (don't worry, they will deflate). Keep warm in parchment wrapped in foil in an oven or serve immediately.
Damp Cloth: For larger breads like baguettes or naan, you can wrap them in a lightly dampened cloth or kitchen towel before placing them in the oven. The damp cloth will create steam during the reheating process, ensuring the bread stays soft and moist.
You sprinkle water to keep the naan bread soft. Naan bread will naturally stiffen when not eaten straight from the pan, so eat it as soon as you possibly can.
Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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