A Chattanoogan by way of Bangalore shares her recipe for traditional naan

International flavors have exploded in restaurants and home kitchens across the United States - among them, naan, a traditional flatbread from the Punjab region of India.

Its soft, pillowy texture is full of lovely bubbles, characteristics that make it extremely versatile.

"It's de rigueur at all Indian restaurants," says Sushma Shanta. Shanta is originally from the southern Indian city of Bangalore. She moved to Chattanooga 13 years ago and is in the hospitality business, part of which includes teaching cooking classes in her North Chattanooga home. "Naan is not something Indian families cook on a daily basis."

However, it is a favorite dish for many of her students, so when they request it, she'll add it to her cooking class syllabus.

Shanta does not own a tandoori oven. In fact, the average home kitchen doesn't have an oven that will heat up to 900 degrees F, and high temperatures are what gives naan its texture. So, many Indian families have adapted to using cast-iron skillets, vessels that easily handle temperatures up to 600 degrees. We eat with our eyes first, and a cast-iron skillet mimics the familiar brown spots seen on naan cooked in a tandoori oven.

However, the process of making naan at home can be messy. "But it's so much better than store-bought naan," Shanta says. "I like making naan at home because I can control the quality and avoid using preservatives."

In a pinch, however, Shanta says Trader Joe's has a good premade naan that's convenient and allows her to concentrate on making delicious curries, a traditional entrée to serve with naan.

"It's the same reason why people buy loaves of bread at the store rather than making it from scratch - convenience," she says.

There are some tricks to making naan, things Shanta has learned over the past decade of making it at home.

Naan needs a leavening agent to make it fluffy - yeast should be your first choice.

Reasons naan will not bubble or be fluffy: Your yeast could be dead; you could be using water that is too hot for the yeast to activate; you may not be kneading the dough enough; or you could not be resting the dough enough.

Plan ahead.

Use the freshest ingredients possible.

Use flour with the highest gluten you can find. Don't substitute all-purpose flour with wheat flour. Wheat flour will still be good and is healthier, but you won't get the same texture.

Acid is very important when making naan, and yogurt is the best for soft, bubbly naan. Make sure you use an active culture yogurt that isn't flavored or has gelatin added. Read the ingredients label, and make sure the yogurt contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Use a cast-iron skillet for restaurant-quality naan. A gas stove also makes the best naan.

Like any flatbread, naan can be used as a base for your favorite toppings. Like pita bread, it's also good with various dips. Like a taco shell, it can be folded and filled with meat and cheese. It makes a good panini, too.

"Or change up the sauces and seasonings and make a Thai or Middle Eastern naan," Shanta says. "The sky's the limit! I highly recommend going to my favorite Indian store, Janata Farmers Market (formerly Desi Brothers) on Lee Highway. Their spices are very reasonably priced, and they are very helpful."

Cast-Iron Naan

This recipe for naan is best made on a gas stove. However, it can be made in the oven if your home is all-electric. Follow the recipe exactly for soft, bubbly naan, advises Shanta.

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 ounce (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil

Melted butter (for brushing), as needed

Optional topping :

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Sesame seeds or nigella seeds as needed

Blooming the yeast:

Combine lukewarm water with sugar and yeast. Follow instructions on the yeast package accurately to make sure it's activated. In 10 minutes, you should see a foamy yeast mixture. If you don't see foam, then the yeast is dead, so discard and redo with fresh yeast.

Kneading the dough:

If you're kneading by hand, spread the flour on a clean countertop and make a well in the middle. Put the yeast mixture, yogurt and salt in the well, gather the dough and knead by hand until it is smooth. Sprinkle extra flour if it's sticky. If using a stand mixer, add all ingredients with dough hook attachment and process about 6 minutes on low speed.

Proofing the dough:

Cover the dough with damp cloth and keep it in a warm place to rise. Some people use their clothes dyer to proof bread dough. Simply run an empty dryer for two minutes at high heat, turn it off and place the wrapped dough in the dryer. Let it sit for two hours. Do not turn the dryer on. Note: This recipe is foolproof when using a bread machine. Simply activate the yeast in the container and add the ingredients, then process under the "dough" program. The machine will mix dough and proof it. When the dough has finished proofing, it will be doubled in size.

At this stage you can keep the dough in the refrigerator, even overnight. Just don't pinch or punch the dough. Allow to come to room temperature before cooking.

Rolling the dough:

Punch the dough down slightly to release any air bubbles. Transfer dough to a board and divide it into 8 equal parts, then roll each into balls. Take a dough ball and roll it evenly into a 10-by-6-inch oval shape, stretching the dough as you shape it. Brush the top surface with melted butter. Optional step: Sprinkle with garlic and cilantro, and roll lightly to press into dough. At this stage, you can place rolled naan within sheets of parchment paper, place in resealable bags and freeze for later use.

Cooking on cast iron on gas stove:

Heat a cast-iron griddle and make sure that it's heated very hot. Dab 1 teaspoon water on the plain side of the naan and place it wet side down on the griddle. This ensures that the dough will stick to the pan. Cook for a minute or two until you start seeing the bubbles. Gently lift the whole griddle and flip it on top of the flame so the naan is in direct contact with gas flames. The naan is stuck to the pan and won't fall off. Move the pan around so naan is touched by fire all around. Flip the griddle back on the right side. Gently remove the naan from the pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat the process with remaining dough.

Cooking in oven:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Arrange rolled naan on a baking tray and bake for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove naan from the oven and apply melted butter. If you want, place the naan in the oven under a broiler to get it charred. Note: This method is easier, but the naan will not be as soft as the stove top.

Serve warm with your favorite curry dish.

Tip: Play around with flavors for topping to change it up. Use dried mint, zatar or even everything-bagel seasoning and brush with butter.

Paneer in White Gravy

6 peppercorns

1 pod black cardamom

2 pods cumin

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon

2 cups chopped onion

4 cups water

3 green chiles

1/2 cup cashews

1 tablespoons ginger

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3/4 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup milk

Oil, as needed

1 pack paneer (see note)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Garnish: Fresh cracked pepper and chile oil

In a spice bag, add peppercorn, cardamom, cumin and cinnamon, and tie it up.

Take a pot and fill it with 4 cups of water. Add onions, spice bag, garlic, whole green chiles, cashews, ginger and garlic and simmer till onions and cashews soften. Turn off heat and strain all the water.

Remove whole green chiles and spice bag and discard. Transfer to a blender and blend with yogurt and milk till smooth.

Heat a pan, add oil. When hot, add the blended mixture and cook on low flame while constantly stirring till fat floats to the top. Add the paneer and salt, to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with fresh ground pepper and chile oil.

Substitutions: Paneer can be substituted with tofu, rotisserie chicken or sauteed vegetables.

Note: If buying frozen paneer, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Fresh paneer should be cut into cubes and seared in butter until golden.