Keema Naan

These Keema Naan are destined to be the highlight of dinner parties & special family meals. Delicious and full-flavored keema aka minced meat is stuffed into naan dough to get fluffy and soft flatbreads. These Keema Naan are easy to make and turn out very impressive. In this post I show how to bake them in the oven and on the stovetop. You can make these with or without yeast.

About Keema Naan

Like a basic Naan, Keema Naan is also made with a leavened dough that uses yeast or baking powder & baking soda. Traditionally in restaurants, these Keema Naan are cooked in a tandoor, a clay oven that helps them achieve a charred and smoky flavor. But in the recent decades restaurants started to cook in electric/gas ovens and stovetops.

So they are made in varying shapes, sizes and thickness. While some are stuffed with raw/uncooked meat, others are made with cooked & well sauted keema. My recipe uses the later method where keema is sauteed with basic aromatics like herbs and ground spices. This step brings out the flavor of the meat & also keeps it soft and tender.

You won’t need any extra time for this step because your keema cooks while the dough is left to rise. Here is what you need

Ingredients & substitutes

• Minced meat: I use lamb keema here but you may substitute it with any red meat of choice. If you want to use chicken or turkey, omit the liquid & saute for a lesser time. You may also substitute ground meat for minced meat.
• Spices: Fresh spices like ginger, garlic and green chilies add aroma and heat. Ground spices like cumin, coriander and garam masala add flavor.
• Onions & tang: Sauteed onions impart flavor and some body to the stuffing. For tang, you may use tomato paste/tomato, amchur or lemon juice.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is the gold standard for naan but if you are trying to eat healthy, you may replace half of the flour with whole wheat flour. Replacing the total amount will make your naans dense. To make these keema naan a bit healthier, try using organic flour or atleast unbleached and unbromated flour.
• Dairy – milk and yogurt: Both these ingredients are used for a softer and fluffier naan. However you may substitute milk with water. I prefer plain yogurt for a less tangier flavor but Greek yogurt works.
• Yeast: I use instant yeast here but you may replace with baking powder and baking soda to make a no yeast version like shown in this Naan recipe. For an extra lift or rise in the naan, you may also include baking powder and baking soda like shown in this Kulcha recipe.
• Butter: I use unsalted butter to brush the finished keema naan. You also also use melted butter while making the dough, to replace oil.
• Seeds: Sesame seeds and kalonji/ onion seeds add crunch and flavors to the flatbreads. You may skip them if you don’t have.

Photo Guide

How to make Keema Naan (Stepwise Photos)

Make the dough

1. Stir in the following dry ingredients in a mixing bowl or a food processor or stand mixer bowl:

• 2½ cups organic all-purpose flour (300 grams) (or use 1¼ cup each of whole wheat flour & all-purpose flour)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (or any other, adjust to taste)
• 2 teaspoons organic cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon instant yeast (or use ¾ tsp for faster fermentation)

2. Pour

• ½ cup plain yogurt (120 ml, unsweetened or replace with Greek yogurt)
• 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter, (30 ml) 
• Warm up ⅓ cup (80 ml) milk or water in a cup. But start with only 3 tbsps and add more as you mix in later

3. Be careful with the extra liquid. Add more only if required, as you mix. I used up all 1/3 cup because I was using a mix of all-purpose & whole wheat flour.

4. Mix to form a soft non-sticky dough. Knead on a low speed for 8 to 9 mins until pliable and soft.

5. Pour a tablespoon oil into the bowl. Smear it all over the bowl and the dough ball. Cover with a cling wrap or dinner plate and let rise until doubled, or for 2 hours in a warm place.

Make the Keema

6. Gather the following ingredients:

• 250 grams (or ½ lb) keema (minced or ground meat lamb/goat, not pictured)
• ½ cup chopped onions (1 small onion)
• 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste (or 1 tsp each minced or grated)
• 1 green chili chopped (deseed if you prefer low heat)
• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to heat preference)
• ½ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste preference)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder + ¼ turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste or ½ tsp amchur / dried mango powder / chaat masala or lemon juice (optional, adjust to preference)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
• ¼ cup coriander leaves chopped finely (divided) + 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (optional)

7. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Saute onions and green chilies, until light golden for 6 to 7 mins. Add ginger and garlic.

8. Saute for a minute and red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric and cumin powder. Deglaze with 2 tablespoons of water.

9. Transfer the keema & saute for 4 mins on a medium high heat.

10. Pour ¼ cup hot water and mix well. Cover and cook until the meat is tender and fully cooked to your liking. (add more hot water as you cook). I use 1 cup water to achieve that super soft texture like it’s cooked in India.

11. If using tomato paste, dilute 1 tsp paste with 2 tablespoons water and add it. Add salt as well and saute until all the moisture evaporates. You need to dry out the filling well so your naans won’t become too wet. Stir in 1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed in palm) or amchur or lemon juice (as tomato substitute). Taste test to adjust salt, garam masala and heat levels. I used another 1/4 tsp garam masala here.

12. Turn off and cool down completely. Mix in half of the chopped coriander leaves (2 to 3 tbsps). Divide to 6 portions. I got approximately 3 tbsps per portion.

Make Keema Naan

13. Your dough should have doubled in 2 hours.

14. Invert it on a rolling board and divide to 6 equal portions.

15. Bring the edges of each portion to the center, join them and shape to round balls. Keep them covered until used up.

16. Lightly grease your rolling area. Roll a dough ball to a 4 to 5 inch disc/roti and scoop out 3 tablespoons of keema curry to the center.

17. Fold and bring the edges together to the center. Push down any excess keema into the dough, using your finger.

18. Seal them. Shape to a round ball in your palm. Stuff all the dough balls with keema and place them in a bowl, untouched to each other.

19. Before you begin to roll the keema naan, turn ON the oven with broil mode + top down heating elements ON. Preheat for atleast 10 mins. Meanwhile place a dough ball on the rolling area and sprinkle with 2 pinches of seeds and few coriander leaves.

20. Roll it to a 6 to 7 inch keema naan. You may keep them thicker or thinner to make larger naans.

Oven Bake

21. Transfer to a tray. You can make as many as your tray fits (about 3 to 4). If you want line your tray with a foil but not with parchment paper. When your oven is ready or preheated for atleast 10 mins, place the tray in the center of the oven and broil for 5 to 6 mins, until golden. You may need to adjust the temperature, depending on the oven and the temperature of your dough and filling. Mine comes out perfectly at 5 mins mark, filling and the dough both at room temperature. Lastly brush with butter.

Toasting on pan

22. Cooking keema naan on a tawa. Roll the naans thinner, especially on the sides/edges. Heat your pan on a medium flame, until really hot (not smoking). Transfer the naan and let cook for 4 mins, until the bottom is browned. Flip and cook on the other side until golden spots appear. If you want, cook them on a wired rack, placed on gas stove fire for a minute. Brush with melted butter.

Serve keema naans hot or warm with Mint chuntney, Mint raita or Cilantro chutney. This Onion salad or Kachumber go well on the side.

Expert Tips

• Yeast naans are always best cooked on a high heat in oven or tandoor. If you want to cook them on a stovetop, they are best made with baking powder and baking soda, omitting yeast.
• If you use sour yogurt, your naans will have a tangier flavor. For a more neutral flavor, make sure your yogurt is not too sour. I prefer plain yogurt rather than Greek because the latter is tangier.
• You can cook the keema ahead, freeze or refrigerate. Thaw and heat to evaporate the excess moisture.

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