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Roti, naan & breads

Tawa Naan Recipe

توا نان بنانے کا طریقہ

Tandoor-style naan without a tandoor: soft yeasted dough slapped wet-side down onto a hot iron tawa, then the tawa flipped over the flame to blister the top.
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Illustration of Tawa Naan

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Marinate / soak

1 hr 30 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Spice

Mild

In Pakistan naan usually comes from the tandoor down the street, but this tawa method gets very close at home. The naan is stuck to a heavy iron tawa by its wet underside, so it clings when you turn the tawa upside down over the gas flame, which chars and puffs the top like a tandoor wall would. The dough is a soft yeasted maida dough with yogurt and milk for tenderness.

Ingredients

6 servings

For 6 servings

Measures

Method

  1. Mix the maida, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the yogurt, milk and oil, then enough water to make a very soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 8 minutes until smooth and stretchy.

    ⏱ 8 min

  2. Oil the bowl, cover and leave the dough in a warm place until doubled in size.

    ⏱ 90 min

  3. Punch the dough down and divide into 6 balls. Heat a heavy iron tawa (not non-stick) on high heat for 5 minutes until very hot.

    ⏱ 5 min

  4. On a floured surface, pat and stretch a ball into an oval about 8 inches long and a quarter-inch thick. Press a few nigella seeds on top if using.

  5. Wet the underside of the naan with water using your palm, then slap it wet-side down onto the hot tawa and press so it sticks. Cook until bubbles rise on top and the base is set.

    ⏱ 1 min

  6. Holding the tawa by its handle with a cloth, turn it upside down over the open gas flame, moving it so the whole top of the naan blisters and gets brown spots.

    ⏱ 1 min

  7. Turn the tawa back, prise the naan off with a flat spatula, brush with melted butter and wrap in a cloth. Repeat with the rest.

Tips for the best result

  • The tawa must be iron and very hot, or the naan will not stick and will fall into the flame when you turn it over.
  • No gas flame? Cook the top under a very hot oven grill for a minute instead.
  • For garlic naan, brush with butter mixed with crushed garlic and chopped coriander.

Common mistakes

  • Making the dough stiff like roti dough. Naan dough should be soft and a bit sticky, or the naan comes out dense.
  • Using too little water on the underside. A dry base won't stick to the tawa.

How to serve

Serve hot with karahi, qorma, nihari or BBQ.

Storing and reheating

Best within an hour. Leftover naan keeps 2 days in a bag; sprinkle with water and warm on a tawa. Freezes for a month.

Nutrition and cost

Worked out from the ingredients, not measured in a lab. Treat both as a rough guide.

Per serving Estimate

Calories
345kcal
Protein
8g
Fat
12g
Carbs
52g
Fibre
1.9g
Sodium
450mg

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018), public domain values for the raw ingredients (100% of the recipe by weight had data). Deep-frying oil is counted at 20%; bones and water lost in cooking are not subtracted, so bone-in and fried dishes can read high. Not medical advice. Method

Cost per servingEstimate

≈ Rs 10

Whole dish ≈ Rs 63 · 35% of ingredients by weight priced

From the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics weekly SPI, week ended 29 Oct 2026. Spices, herbs and some vegetables are not in the SPI and are left out unless you add your price, so the real cost is a little higher. How this works

Tawa Naan: questions people ask

How do I make naan at home without a tandoor?

Stick the wet underside of the naan to a very hot iron tawa, let the base set, then turn the tawa upside down over a gas flame to puff and char the top.

Can I make naan without yeast?

Yes. Use 2 tsp baking powder and a quarter tsp baking soda with half a cup of yogurt, and rest the dough for 2 hours. It will be softer but less chewy.

Serve it with, and similar recipes

All bread recipes

Read this recipe in Urdu: توا نان بنانے کا طریقہ

https://handi.danixsoft.com/recipes/tawa-naan · Handi, DanixSoft