Lamb skewers and homemade naans with mint dip
Naan breads freshly made and still warm from the pan are a real treat, especially when served with lamb skewers and a minty dip. A fresh and fantastic alternative to a Friday night takeaway.
For this recipe you will need 12 skewers.
Ingredients
For the naan bread
- 1 sachet dry active yeast (7g)
- 1 tsp sugar (granulated or caster sugar)
- 150ml/5fl oz warm water
- 6 tbsp natural yoghurt
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 400g/14oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
For the lamb skewers
- 4 tbsp plain natural yoghurt
- 1 heaped tsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp grated fresh garlic
- 1 heaped tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp toasted garam masala
- 1kg/2lb 4oz lamb steaks or lamb leg, cut into 2.5cm/1in bite sized cubes
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
For the mint dip
- 6 tbsp natural yoghurt
- small handful mint leaves finely chopped
- ¼ lime, juice only
- pinch sugar
- pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garam masala, toasted
Method
To make the naans, put the yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Add the warm water and allow to dissolve. Set aside until the yeast blooms (when froth appears on the surface). Add the yoghurt, salt and vegetable oil. Mix in the flour to make a shaggy dough.
Bring the dough together to form a rough ball. Transfer to a greased bowl and place a plate on top to cover (or use cling film). Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth. You can also use a food mixer fitted with a dough hook (this will take less time). If the dough is very sticky, add a little extra flour.
Pop the dough back into the greased bowl. Cover and put in a warm place to prove until doubled in size. This will take roughly 1–1½ hours depending on how warm the room is.
Meanwhile for the lamb skewers, mix together the yoghurt, ginger, garlic and all the spices. Add the lamb and toss to coat well. Leave the lamb to marinate for at least 30–45 minutes, covered in the fridge. (This can be done the day before and left to marinade overnight.)
Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knock out the air and divide into 6 equal pieces (you can weigh them if you want to be precise).
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough very thinly (about 3mm) into a teardrop shape.
If it sticks to the work surface, lightly oil and roll out again. The dough is quite forgiving and does not need to be perfect in shape. Place on greased baking trays until ready to cook.
Once the lamb has marinated, thread the lamb cubes onto skewers.
Heat the grill to the highest temperature. Place the lamb skewers under the grill and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Set aside to rest on a warm plate.
To cook the naan breads, heat a large frying pan over a high heat until searing hot. Place the rolled-out dough in the pan and allow it to cook for about 1–2 minutes until bubbles appear. Once browned spots form underneath, flip and cook for a further 1–2 minutes on the other side.
Wrap the cooked naans in a clean tea towel so they stay soft and warm. Repeat with the remaining dough.
To make the mint dip, combine all the ingredients and season to your taste.
To serve, place a couple of lamb skewers on top of each naan and drizzle the mint dip on top or on the side.
