Yogurt Raita and Naan Bread - Y - Alphabet Challange

Thank goodness this Y dish came out better than X. I utilized the yogurt in both the raita sauce and the naan bread. This is a great side dish to any kebab or skewer but I made this with lamb lollipops. There's something special about making bread from scratch and serving it warm that really impresses your eaters. The best part - the raita can be made a day in advance so all you have to do is whip up the bread and you're ready to go!

Ingredients:
Raita Yogurt Sauce
3 cups plain full fat Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
1/2 cup fresh mint, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

 
Naan Bread
1/2 cup lukewarm water (about 105-110 degrees)
2 tsp. sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plain full fat Greek yogurt
Vegetable oil for cooking

 

Directions: 

Raita Yogurt Sauce:

1. Take grated cucumber and place in a clean linen dish towel. Squeeze out as much moisture from the cucumber as possible.

2. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want the sauce to be spicy you can leave the seeds in the jalapeno. I like to make this ahead of time so all of the flavors can meld, even better if it sits over night.

Naan Bread:

1. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine lukewarm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit until frothy, about 8 minutes. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and yogurt and use a rubber spatula to combine. Once a shaggy dough starts to form, dump onto a clean work surface and knead with your hands until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add a bit more flour. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

3. On a floured surface, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each out into a 7” circle. Keep dough covered with a clean kitchen towel so it does not dry out while you are frying the naan.

4.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Working one at a time, cook dough until blistered and dark golden in spots, about 3 minutes per side. Adjust heat and add more oil as needed. Store cooked naan in a clean kitchen linen towel to keep warm. Serve warm with the raita sauce!