Vegan Naan Bread

Quick recipe for garlic oil

Press 1 garlic clove and mix with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp warm margarine. Done.

Cast iron pan or Teflon pan?

The best pan for naan is, of course, the pan you already have in your cupboard. But if you make naan bread more often and don't own a cast iron pan yet, there are some good reasons to get one:

• Taste: Thanks to its large mass, a cast iron pan can absorb a lot of heat and store it evenly across the whole base. So as soon as you put the naan in the pan, the stored heat can go straight into the bread and doesn't need to be topped up by the stove first. That way the naan cooks faster and gets that typical rustic crust.
• Health: Thanks to its PTFE coating (short for polytetrafluoroethylene), a Teflon pan has the big advantage of being non-stick. As long as the temperature isn't too high and you don't scrape around in the pan with sharp forks or spatulas, the coating stays intact. According to current knowledge, no particles harmful to people or the environment come off during "normal" use (production and recycling aside). However, the Teflon coating can start to break down at temperatures from 500 °F / 260 °C (link) to 680 °F / 360 °C (link, both in German). The pan usually doesn't reach these temperatures as long as the base is fully covered - for example with vegetables, oil or dough. With naan bread, though, the characteristic bubbles form instantly and lift the still unfinished naan. That can create hot spots on the pan, which can damage the coating and release toxic gases. So make absolutely sure not to set the pan too hot. And: with a cast iron pan there are no such problems, since its seasoning is "natural" in origin.
• #plasticfree: A recent study shows that scratches in a Teflon pan can release large numbers of microplastic particles. More on that here and here (in German). A cast iron pan avoids the problem, since its coating (also called seasoning) consists of - or is created from - "natural substances".
• Fun fact: Because of the high iron content of a cast iron pan and the transfer of iron from the pan into the food during frying, it's possible to enrich your food with iron by using this pan. At least that's what some manufacturers claim;)
• Downsides: Compared to a Teflon pan, a cast iron pan needs a little more care (keyword seasoning) and has to be dried after cleaning (with water only!), otherwise it can rust.

About the ingredients:

• Flour: Traditionally, flours like atta or maida are used, which you can find at Asian grocery stores. But classic wheat flours like German type 405 or 550 (all-purpose or bread flour) work really well too.
• Soy yogurt: If you want to avoid soy (soy-free), you can easily use other plant-based yogurts instead - oat yogurt, for example.

#plasticfree

• For the raising agent in this recipe I chose fresh yeast, since you can buy it plastic-free. Dry yeast, on the other hand, usually comes in elaborate multi-layer packaging, which in turn is shrink-wrapped in plastic.
• Spices are unfortunately very often sold in plastic bags or glass jars with plastic caps. But I've often found spices in glass jars with metal lids at small vegetable markets (especially in big cities) or in well-stocked supermarkets. It's worth keeping an eye out🔍.