“I am a little naughty and often butter my naan, it may be a little decadent but it tastes deeeeelisshious,” says , when SBS Food chats to the cooking teacher and TV host about the delights of this chewy-but-fluffy bread.
“I think hot buttered naan should come with a health warning as they are so addictive!”
For those – like us here at SBS Food! – who also love a buttered naan, here are ten essential recipes to help you embrace this indulgence, including Ashraf’s own easy naan recipe, and a vegan naan, for those who don't eat dairy.
Easy naan
This is the that Ashraf shares in her show, Parveen’s Indian Kitchen. It used baking powder, rather than yeast, so it’s a good one if you have less time.
“A good naan bread needs to be light and fluffy. For best results cook on a high heat. The naan cooks in minutes and leaves you with a lovely ‘crisp on the outside, but still fluffy on the inside’ texture. If you overcook a naan, it will dehydrate and become tough,” she tells us. 
Naan Source: Parveen's Indian Kitchen
Garlic naan
“To make garlic naan, you can just buy regular garlic butter and spread that over a hot naan, it works a treat! Alternatively, crush one small clove of garlic into 70g butter, spread this over your naan and pop under the grill until the butter has melted,” Ashraf says.
Vegans, you don’t have to miss out either – blogger includes three variations in the she shared with SBS Food: plain, garlic and peshwari.
Sasha Gill's naan breads Source: Murdoch Books / Sasha Gill
Lamb bhuna
“I like to eat naan with any masala sauce or curry dish but my favourite way to eat naan is with either a lamb bhuna (recipe here) or chicken jalfrezi (find it in her cookbook),” says Ashraf.
“My lamb bhuna is famous in my family. I love it, my children love it and my husband absolutely loves it. It’s his favourite dish. I make it all the time, probably about twice a week. The best thing about this lamb bhuna is you just chuck everything in a pan and cook it through." Get the recipe .
Lamb bhuna Source: Parveen's Indian Kitchen
Easy chicken curry
Use Anjum Anand’s recipe to make a batch of her tomato, garlic and capsicum, and you can then whip up her ready in around 10 minutes. And then, of course, mop up the very tasty sauce with naan!
5-minute chicken curry Source: Anjum’s Australian Spice Stories
Saag paneer
This greens and cheese combo is an Indian classic. Give it a go in from Matthew Evans, delicious served with his super-easy , which are fantastic served warm and brushed with butter.
Flatbreads and saag aloo Source: Alan Benson
Goat tandoori
The thick, full-o-flavour gravy in is perfect served with naan.
Goat with tandoori flavours Source: SBS Food
Butter chicken
Of course, we had to include this famous favourite, with it’s rich, thick, oh-so-delicious sauce! Samira Nanda says of . If you don’t have every spice listed, “don’t worry… you can still enjoy an absolutely delicious dish.”
Samira Nanda's butter chicken Source: Essence of India
Red lentil dhal
This curry comes from Gujurat, a province in Western Indian known for its vegetarian food. Adjust the chilli heat to suit your tastes.
Red lentil curry
Chana and spinach masala
When Ashraf makes this in Parveen’s Indian Kitchen, she serves it with… yes, you guessed it, hot buttered naan. “It’s creamy, it’s filling, it’s flavoursome,” she says of this fantastic vegetarian dish.
Chana and spinach masala Source: Parveen's Indian Kitchen
And a bonus: Butter chicken parcels
Got some leftover butter chicken? a different way to take on the butter-and-naan combo! Make these easy naan, fill them with butter chicken and pan-fry in ghee.
Watch Parveen's Indian Kitchen Saturday at 5.30pm 25 Jan to 28 Mar on SBS Food. Episodes will be available on after they air.
Butter chicken naan bread parcels Source: Richo's Bar Snacks
