Keema Naan Bread

Homemade Keema Naan Bread is the perfect combination of deliciously spiced minced lamb (lamb keema) and a soft&fluffy naan dough.

They are a great accompaniment to Indian curries (try it with Chicken Handi!), as well as dips and soups. You can serve them for dinner and the leftovers are great for packed lunches or picnics.

Jump to:

• The Secret to a Perfectly Soft & Chewy Naan
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and Reheating Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Keema Naan

Naan bread is typically cooked in tandoori ovens but same as my Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread, it can be easily cooked on a good quality cast iron skillet or frying pan.

Although some recipes recall cooking naan bread in a hot oven, I personally prefer cooking them in a hot pan. They puff up and char better on a Tawa - hot pan, also it is quicker and more efficient.

This meat-stuffed flatbread tastes its best when they are warm out of the pan. You can keep the leftovers for a couple of days in the fridge or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Reheat them in the oven before eating. It is made with raw keema filling which makes it quicker and simpler as well as much less washing up!

The Secret to a Perfectly Soft & Chewy Naan

Getting the consistency of the dough right is the key factor for achieving perfectly soft naan bread. The amount of flour in this recipe should be taken as a guide.

When it comes to pastries, implementing the exact measurements in a recipe doesn't always guarantee perfect results due to external factors such as humidity at your location, and the type of flour and yogurt that you use.

Therefore, you should have a basic understanding of what the consistency of the dough should look like. And if necessary, you can adjust the amount of flour in the recipe. The naan bread dough should be soft and sticky in order to achieve soft and fluffy naan bread.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Ground Meat Stuffing

• Minced Lamb - The main ingredient for keema filling is minced lamb (ground lamb), and its fat content is as important as the quality of the meat. Ideally, it should have %20 fat for soft and juicy naan bread. Alternatively, you can use chicken or mutton mince.

• Onion - It adds extra flavor and moisture to the filling. You can either grate or finely chop it. Substitute it with two banana shallots if you don't have onions.

• Garlic Ginger Paste - This is a great ingredient for Asian-inspired recipes. It adds an incredible spicy flavor and amazing color to the filling. You can use finely chopped or grated ginger and garlic instead.

• Green chilies - You can skip them if you don't like spicy. You can substitute it with red chilies.

• Spices - I use my favorite spices such as garam masala, turmeric, and cumin but you can use any Indian spices you like to customize it.

Keema Naan Dough

• Flour - The best type of flour for naan bread is plain white flour or all-purpose flour. Substituting it with other types of flour (such as whole wheat flour) will make the naan breads less soft and denser. you can also use strong white flour/bread flour if that's what you have in hand.

• Yeast - I use fast-action dry yeast for this recipe. The recipe also works with standard active/dry yeast or fresh yeast. Although you don't normally need to dissolve the fast-action yeast in warm water and then leave it to become foamy, the naan becomes fluffier if dissolved in warm water first. 

• Ghee or Butter – Ghee is clarified butter with milk solids and water removed, leaving behind pure butterfat. It has a more intense flavor than normal butter and it doesn’t burn even on high heat. You can either make your ghee or use normal butter.

• Plain Yogurt: Yogurt is a great way to add a tangy & rich flavor while adding some softness to the dough.

• Salt:  Salt adds a salty texture to the naan bread.

• Baking Powder - It gives the naan some extra rise and softness.

Step-by-Step Instructions

You might find daunting the idea of making your own naan bread at home. The good thing is that this keema naan recipe is straightforward to make when you follow a few simple steps:

Prepare the Naan Dough

Pour the warm water into a large bowl. Whisk in the yeast and half of the flour.

Mix all together, cover the bowl, and then leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Stir in the yogurt and add the rest of the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix with your hands to form a sticky and soft dough.

Spoon 2 teaspoon of the ghee or butter and rub it over the dough. Give the dough a few rough squeezes, then cover the bowl with cling film or a clean damp kitchen cloth. Allow it to rise for an additional 15 minutes.

Pour another 1 teaspoon ghee or melted butter onto the dough and rub lightly all over. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and then knead the dough for 30 seconds. Return it to the bowl, cover it, and leave it for 15 minutes to rise in a warm place. By this time, the dough becomes much smoother.

Prepare the Meat Filling

Place all the filling ingredients in a bowl and then nicely mix with a spoon until combined.

Cook the Keema Naan

After lightly kneading the dough on the oiled surface for a minute, divide it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and dust them lightly with flour. Cover the dough balls and let them sit for 5 minutes before shaping them.

Divide the filling into 4 as well and heat a large heavy-based non-stick pan or a large skillet on medium to high heat.

Take one of the dough balls and roll it out to the size of a small plate using a rolling pin. While working on one dough ball, keep the remaining balls covered.

Place a quarter of the filling in the center and pull the edges up, seal, and shape into a ball again.

Lightly flour the ball and turn it into a teardrop or oval shape (about 3 mm - ⅛“) using your fingers or a rolling pin.

When the pan is really hot, place the naan and cook until golden brown then flip it using a tong.

Place it on a plate and brush the top of the naan with some ghee or butter. Keep it wrapped in a clean cloth while you roll out and cook the remaining naan bread.

Top Tips From the Chef

• The best type of flour for naan bread is all-purpose flour. Substituting it with other types of flour (such as whole wheat flour) will make the naan breads less soft and denser.

• For your naan bread to get bubbles on top, your skillet should be VERY hot. Tandoor ovens get exceptionally hot, resulting in naan bread that is soft and bubbly inside, and charred outside. To replicate this method, make sure you put your naan bread in the skillet when it is completely hot.

• This keema nan bread takes a bit of time and some patience. It doesn't need much kneading but requires a few " knead and let it rise " sessions for a smooth dough.

• The shape and size of naan bread differ substantially in every restaurant you go to. Naan bread needs to be soft and fluffy. So do not make them too thin. But making it too thick will result in an uncooked doughy center.

• After cooking the naan bread, brush with some garlic butter/ghee for extra flavor and serve them straight from the pan.

• Once you made the dough, you must use it promptly. If you want to make the dough in the morning to cook later in the evening, reduce the amount of the yeast to ¼ teaspoon and keep the dough in the fridge covered until required.

• When making Keema Nan, it is very important to roll out the dough carefully to avoid having the keema rip through the dough.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve meat naan with Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumbers) or refreshing onion salad on the side.

Other ways to serve this stuffed bread are alongside a curry dish like Tandoori Chicken and Dal Palak (Spinach Dal), or soup such as Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi), Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, Vegan Pumpkin Soup, and Ezogelin Corbasi (Ezogelin Soup).

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Storage

Allow the keema naan bread to cool completely before storing it to prevent condensation. Wrap the naan bread tightly in aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness.

Store the keema naan in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. If you want to store them longer, you can freeze leftover keema naan for up to 3 months.

Reheating

To reheat the keema naan, it's best to use a skillet or a tava (Indian griddle) for even heating. Preheat the skillet or tava over medium heat. Place the naan bread on the heated surface and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side until it becomes warm and slightly crispy.

For the oven option, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), wrap the naan in foil, and heat for approximately 5-7 minutes until it's warmed through.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more Asian-inspired recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this soft, chewy, and buttery Keema Naan as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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