While you can mix this dough by hand, you need to handle it as little as possible or your naan won't be tender. See Baking Naan sidebar for cooking techniques.

1¼ teaspoons salt

1¼ teaspoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

4¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole milk

1 cup water

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Place the salt and sugar in an electric mixing bowl. Add baking powder and flour. Stir well by hand.

2. Pour the milk and water into the bowl all at once and mix with the paddle attachment for about 30 seconds, just until the mixture becomes a cohesive dough. Stop the mixer and add 1 tablespoon oil. Turn mixer on for about 5 seconds only. Add remaining ½ tablespoon oil and pulse mixer. Dough should be soft but not sticky.

3. Divide dough into 8 fist-sized lumps. Form into smooth balls by turning each lump inside out, then twisting the bottom area where the seams of the dough come together a few times, until a small bit of dough comes off the bottom. Dip the bottom of the ball in flour and place on a sheet to rest. Cover with plastic wrap to rest for at least one hour.

4. At least 45 minutes before cooking, preheat oven to 500 degrees and place a pizza stone on the lowest rack. Working with one ball of dough at a time, flatten the dough into a round that's about 5 inches in diameter. Press fingertips into the dough

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firmly, making deep dimple marks. Pick up the dough and toss it between your hands to thin and stretch the dough. It should be about 10 inches in diameter with dimple marks throughout. You can roll the dough out with a pin, but the resulting naan will be flatter.

5. Carefully place the round of dough on a thick pot holder or folded towel. Holding the towel, quickly and firmly place the naan dough on the surface of the tandoor, pizza stone or pan. The dough will stick to the surface and, in a tandoor, begin to bubble on top. If cooking in an oven, let brown on the bottom and finish under the broiler. Naan can also be flipped over, but the bread will flatten slightly.

— Recipe adapted from the Pabla family, owners of Taste of India restaurant, Fremont

Per naan: 280 calories, 7 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 4 g total fat, .5 g saturated fat, 0 cholesterol, 620 mg sodium, 2 g fiber. Calories from fat: 13 percent.

— Staff analysis