Foodstuff: Patak’s Brand Frozen Naan – Sybaritica

I have tried a number of commercially made pre-cooked Naan products in the past, both frozen and otherwise, and I have to say that thus far I have not been terribly impressed. Patak’s, as readers of my Foodstuff’s will know, make quite a few very good Indian food products and I am hoping that they will be able to achieve a similar quality with their Naan…

The Patak’s variety of Naan comes frozen but, unlike some other frozen brands I have tried, they direct you to allow it to thaw before cooking. Also, as you can see in the instructions pictured above, they give you the option of two different cooking methods, baking or grilling, whilst others simply instruct you to bake it only.

To test this product, I decided to grill it in a ridge pan. Naan is properly cooked in a Tandoor, so the oven would seem to be the most appropriate method but, since the Naan is actually cooked in a Tandoor already, just re-heating in a grill pan should be fine. It will be easier than baking and, I think, may turn out a little better.

The instructions for both grilling and baking direct you to sprinkle the bread with a little water before cooking. I deviated from this slightly in that I brushed the whole surface of both sides with water to which I first added a good pinch of salt.

The Verdict

This product, I have to say, was a very pleasant surprise. Not only was it better than any I have made before, it was also as good, if not better, than many I have had in restaurants. My wife very much enjoyed it and this is a high recommendation indeed as she is very passionate and particular about her Naan. I also should say that, if you do try this product, and I recommend that you do, pan-grilling it is definitely the way to go. The slight crispiness it gave to the surface counter-pointed very well with the nice, soft chewiness of the center…

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