Ingredients
Dough
- 800 gstrong white flour
- 480 mlwarm water or milk
- 10 ginstant yeast
- 14 gsalt
- 1 tspsugar
- 3 tbspoil or melted butter
To finish
- 1egg, beaten, or milk
- sesame and nigella seeds
- a little water, for the oven
Equipment
- a chekich, the bread stamp, or a fork
- a baking stone
- a small cushion, for a real tandyr
To serve
- torn by hand, with everything
Directions
- Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar, keeping the salt and yeast apart until the liquid goes in. Add the warm water or milk and the oil, and bring it to a soft dough. Knead 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Prove for about 1 hour 30 minutes until doubled. Now heat the oven as hot as it will go, at least 250°C (480°F), with a stone inside for a full hour. Divide the dough into 4 and shape each into a tight ball. Rest the balls 20 minutes covered.
- Press each ball out into a round of about 22 cm. Now press the centre down hard with your fingers and knuckles, leaving a raised rim about 4 cm wide all round.
- Press the middle right down, much thinner than the edge. That contrast is the whole design: the rim puffs into a soft ring and the centre stays flat and crisp.
- Prick right through the dough rather than just marking the surface. Brush the surface with beaten egg or milk and scatter sesame and nigella seeds over. Prove them a final 20 minutes. Now slide them onto the hot stone.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes until the rim is deep golden and puffed and the centre is pale and crisp. It is done when the base is browned and it sounds hollow tapped.
- Serve it whole in the middle of the table, torn into pieces by hand. It keeps several days and is refreshed by sprinkling with water and warming.
Technique
- A chekich is cheap in Central Asian markets and stamps the traditional pattern.
- The customs around handling bread are genuinely observed.
- Uzbek non and Kazakh lepyoshka are close relatives.
Substitutions
- A fork in place of a chekich.
- A heavy tray preheated for as long as possible in place of a stone.
Variations
- Made with milk for a richer bread.
- With onion worked into the dough.
- Made smaller, as individual breads.
History
Baked at bazaars and homes; bread is never placed face down and is broken by hand, never cut.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tandyr nan?
Tandyr nan is a bread & pastry from Kyrgyzstan: round flatbread stamped in the centre and baked on a clay oven wall. Baked at bazaars and homes; bread is never placed face down and is broken by hand, never cut.
How long does Tandyr nan take to make?
Tandyr nan takes 30 min plus 2 hr rising of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 large breads. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Tandyr nan?
Yes, within limits. A fork in place of a chekich. A heavy tray preheated for as long as possible in place of a stone.
What is the most important thing to get right in Tandyr nan?
Press the middle right down, much thinner than the edge. That contrast is the whole design: the rim puffs into a soft ring and the centre stays flat and crisp.
