naan

Curry's soft companion

Naan is a leavened flatbread from South Asian cuisine, traditionally baked in a tandoor oven.

The bread puffs up with charred spots and a soft, chewy interior.

It often accompanies curries and other dishes, used to scoop up food: We ordered garlic naan with our tikka masala.

Also spelled nan.

accompaniment

curry

Aromatic South Asian dish

dalStewed split legumes
tikkaMarinated meat dish
kebabGrilled food on skewer

korma · saag · paneer · masala · chutney · raita · ghee · butter · dipping · scooping

bread

roti

Unleavened South Asian flatbread

chapatiUnleavened South Asian flatbread
pitaHollow Middle Eastern bread
parathaPan-fried unleavened flatbread

lavash · flatbread · leavened · dough · flour · yeast · wheat · knead · soft · warm

tandoor

clay

Moldable earth for ceramics

ovenEnclosed cooking chamber
charredBurned until black
smokyFilled with combustion haze

fire · heat · slap · stick · puffed · blistered · traditional · coal · roasted · crispy

Categories

breadssliced bread, bagel, white bread, boules, brioche
flatbreadspita, lavash, tortilla, roti, chapati
Indian cuisinegaram masala, turmeric powder, cumin, coriander, ghee
regional dishesadobo, arepa, bagel, baklava, beignet
PakistanIslamabad, Karachi, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan
Persian Wordssalam, bale, bad, do, mah

Opposites

bread texture

Thin lentil-flour crisp

papad · poppadom · cracker · crisp bread · lavash

bread type/structure

naansliced bread

Bread sold pre-portioned

baguette · sandwich bread · crusty bread

bread preparation method

naanroti

Unleavened South Asian flatbread

chapati · paratha · tortilla · pita · injera

Phrases

garlic naanLeavened Indian flatbread with bulb seasoning
cheese naanIndian bread with dairy filling
butter naanLeavened flatbread brushed with ghee
plain naanUnadorned Indian flatbread

Family

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G