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October 9, 2018

Nan-e-Barbari, famous Persian flatbread, is known as thickest flatbread. Following the theme of Karen from Karen’s Kitchen Stories, the Middle Eastern bread, I tried my hands on this lovely Nan-e-Barbari bread recipe.

I have no idea of the origin of the flatbread. Was it Greece where Pita Bread is a common staple or is it India with its famous Amritsari Naan.

Flatbreads are extremely popular across the globe, however, this Iranian flatbread steals the heart.

This unique Persian bread is crisp and chewy. The name “Nan-E-Barbari in itself sounds so royal, isn’t it?

|Recommended Recipe: Baked Kulcha Recipe

Let’s know little more about this Bread

Barbari is an Iranian term used for Hazara people living in Khorasan. This bread was first baked by Hazaras. Though Hazaras are no longer known as Barbarians this bread is still referred as Nan-e-Barbari.

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Quick Notes

Tin Size
14x10
Oven Temp
220°C
Baking Time
20 minutes
MW Convection Temp
200°C
Baking Time
20 minutes
Demold Instructions
immediately
Cooling Time
10 minutes

I have curated the list of recommended tools and ingredients for baking. I recommend only tried and tested products that have given satisfactory results in my kitchen.

If you bake this recipe, please share a picture with me on my Instagram using #bakewithsonia

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Nan-e-Barbari Bread Recipe

In a jar, take around 50 ml lukewarm water. Add sugar and yeast to it. Stir it and let it rest until yeast froths. The water amount taken to dissolve yeast is from the total water amount mentioned in the ingredients.

For this recipe, I took 450 gm of organic wheat maida from Organic Tattva. In case organic flour is not available, you can use regular refined flour as well. Add salt to flour and add activated yeast water. Start kneading the dough by adding a little water at a time.

Initially, the dough will be sticky. Take the dough on lightly floured surface. Add oil to the dough and continue to knead for 3-4 minutes. With this kneading, the dough will become soft, smooth and non-sticky. Now place the dough into a greased bowl and cover it with Kitchen towel.

Keep the bowl at some warm and dry place until dough doubles in volume.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Making the glaze for Nan-e-Barbari

Enter your text here...Till the time our dough is resting, let prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan take refined flour, sugar, butter, and water. Mix everything well. Now cook the prepared solution for about 2 min. keep stirring the solution to avoid any lumps. Switch off the flame and let the solution cool down.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Time taken by the dough to be double depends upon temperature. Warmer the weather, lesser the time will be. At my place, the temperature was between 24 °C to 29°C. That is why my dough doubled in 35 minutes.

The moment dough becomes double in volume, take it out from the bowl and punch it to release the air incorporated. This punching not only takes the air out but also helps to release that pungent yeast smell.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

After punching, divide the dough into two equal portions. This 450 gm flour will yield 2 Nan-e-Barbari bread. Take one portion and cover the other with the kitchen towel for a while.

 Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Lightly dust the counter with flour and roll the dough into a rectangular sheet, approximately 13 inches long and 5 inches wide. Transfer it to a greased baking tray.

Meanwhile, keep the Oven for preheating at 220°C.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Use your fingers to poke down the length of the loaf, forming 5 deep ridges lengthwise as shown in the picture. To make these indentations you can use back of a knife or spatula. Ensure that the indentations are deep enough, otherwise, the bread will puff up.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Rub half of the prepared flour paste on the dough. Sprinkle Nigella seeds on it. Gently press down the seeds. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.

Repeat the same process with other portion of the dough.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Now bake the loaves in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the bread becomes golden brown. Once baked, transfer the baked bread to the cooling rack. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, slice the bread and serve with your choice of gravy. This bread is known as the thickest flatbread. It has the rustic crust with a soft and chewy crumb. You can store this bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari

Buy Tools and Ingredients used in this recipe

Naturally Colorful Bread List by #BreadBakers

  • Baked Pita Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Eggless Challah Bread from Cook with Renu
  • Fatayer Jebneh (Arabic Cheese Pie) from Food Lust People Love
  • Garlic Butter Glazed Talami Bread from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
  • Jerusalem Bagels from Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Kaak from Ambrosia
  • Khobz Al Khameer (Traditional Emirati Bread) from Ruchik Randhap
  • Kubaneh from Gayaythri's Cook Spot
  • Laffa from Sizzling Tastebuds
  • Manakeesh from Mayuri's Jikoni
  • Maneesh from The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
  • Nan-e-Barbari from Anybody Can Bake
  • Rose Shaped Dinner Rolls - Turkish Pogaca Pastry from Sneha's Recipe
  • Tahinli Ekmek | Turkish Tahini Bread from Bread and Dreams
  • Vegetarian Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza Snack) from Cook's Hideout
  • #BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page.

    We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. To join us, send Stacy an email at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com with your blog's URL if you are a food blogger.

    Follow me on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest, If you like my recipes. Check out my YouTube Channel for more fantastic recipes if you enjoy watching cooking demonstration videos.

    Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari # Bread Bakers

    Nan-e-Barbari is an amazing classic Persian flatbread recipe. This barbari bread recipe is crisp from outside and soft and airy from the inside. This Iranian flatbread recipe is easy to make and can be done quickly in the oven.

    Persian Flatbread Nan-e-Barbari
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Servings: 2 Naans

    Ingredients

    For Dough

    For Glaze

    Instructions

    • In a jar, take around 50 ml lukewarm water. Add sugar and yeast to it. Stir it and let it rest until yeast froths.
    • In a kneading bowl, take the flour, salt, activated yeast solution, and start mixing.
    • Start kneading the dough by adding a little water at a time.
    • After binding the dough, take the dough out on lightly floured surface.
    • Add oil to the dough and continue to knead until dough becomes soft and non-sticky.
    • Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl and cover it with the kitchen towel.
    • Let the dough rest until it becomes double in volume
    • Meanwhile prepare the glaze. For the glaze, in a saucepan, take flour, sugar, butter and water. Cook the solution for 2 minutes and then switch off the flame. Keep the solution aside.
    • Now punch the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Take one portion.
    • Meanwhile keep the oven at 220 °C for preheating.
    • Roll the dough into a rectangular sheet, approximately 13 inches long and 5 inches wide. Transfer it to a greased baking tray.
    • Use your fingers to poke down the length of the loaf to make 5 ridges lengthwise.
    • Rub half of the prepared flour paste on the dough. Sprinkle Nigella seeds on it.
    • Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Repeat the same process with other portion of the dough.
    • Now bake the loaves in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the bread becomes golden brown.
    • Once baked, transfer the baked bread to the cooling rack.
    • Let it rest for 10 minutes and serve warm.

    Notes

    1. Any change in the ingredient can change the final results.
    2. This is a tried and tested recipe. Hence don’t ask for the substitutions.
    3. For this recipe, I have used Active dry yeast. You can replace it with Instant yeast in the same amount.
    4. I have used Nigella seeds. In case you don’t have, you can use black sesame seeds.
    5. There is no substitute for yeast.
    6. Baking time can vary oven to oven. So bake the bread until it turns golden brown.
    Tried this recipe? Share it with me on Instagram!Mention @bakewithsonia or tag #bakewithsonia

    About the Author Sonia Gupta

    Founder of AnyBodyCanBake, Noted Entrepreneur, Celebrated Baker, Certified Baking Instructor, and Accomplished Food Blogger.

  • I made this today and it was absolutely delicious and really simple. The three of us are raving about it and I’m thinking of all the dishes it would go with. We had it with homemade hummus, but it would be great with soft cheese, curry, tagine, soup…..
    thank you so much X

  • this is such a great bread, Sonia ! and lovely colour too .. how do u get that wonderful, inviting golden hue on top of all ur breads without an egg wash ? pls do share..

  • Sonia, your nan-e-barbari looks amazing – golden crust and beautiful crumb. Lovely clicks and you are tempting me to make this bread again some time soon.

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