Naan

Method

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well, add the yoghurt, warm milk and oil, and stir with a fork, then your hand, into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add a splash more milk if dry patches remain.
2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 4 to 5 minutes, until smooth and springy. Put it back in the bowl, cover and leave for 1 hour. It will not rise much; the rest relaxes the dough so it rolls out without shrinking back.
3. Melt the butter with the garlic, if using, in a small pan over a low heat until it foams and the garlic smells fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, then take it off the heat. Divide the dough into 8 balls and keep them covered with a tea towel.
4. Heat a large, heavy frying pan or cast-iron pan over a high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until a flick of water skitters across it and vanishes at once. A very hot pan is what makes the naan puff and blister.
5. Roll one ball into a teardrop about 5mm thick on a floured surface, scatter with a few nigella seeds, if using, and press them in with the rolling pin. Roll the next one while each naan cooks, so the pan never sits empty.
6. Lay a naan in the dry pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until big bubbles puff up and the underside is charred in spots. Flip and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more, until patched with brown.
7. Brush straight away with the melted butter and stack in a clean tea towel, so the steam keeps them soft. Repeat with the remaining balls, turning the heat down a notch if they start to scorch. Serve warm with curries and dals, like butter chicken or dal tadka.