Topic: Anyone make Keema Naan

[JerryM]

Chilli head,

many thanks - the sandwich approach sounds the easiest approach. i am pretty much sure i've only ever had round keema naan. this would sit well with your method.

i'd also say they tend to be thicker around the circumference than the basic naan which also lends it to the same approach.

best wishes.

[Cory Ander]

Hi Jerry,

Once you are satisfied with the taste of the keema, I think you have 3 options for filling the naan:

1)  Using your thumb, make a hole in a ball of naan dough and push the raw keema filling into the hole.  Then close up the hole.  Make sure you don't use too much filling or it will squirt out when you shape the naan!  The risk is that the keema won't fully cook when you bake the naan (far less likely to be a problem with the inferno of a BIR tandoor - at 500C or so!).  I'd guess this would be the technique most likely used by most BIRs for stuffing naans.

2)  Simply spread a thin layer of the raw keema mixture over the top of the naan prior to cooking.  I reckon it might simply fall off though!  And you may still have problems cooking the keema thoroughly.

3)  Press the raw keema mix into a thin pancake (not too large in diameter) and fry it in oil until cooked and set.  Then roll the naan, oversized, place the cooked keema pancake in the middle of the naan (or towards the "thick end" of the naan), fold the sides of the dough over so that they cover the keema and overlap in the middle, then shape the naan again.  I think this is the easiest way to stuff the naan and to ensure that the keema is cooked properly.

I add egg to my keema to bind it.  It then cooks into a fairly rigid pancake as George describes.

I think BIRs are most likely to use minced lamb/mutton.

[Cory Ander]

It seems to me that the keema naan filling is:

- sweet
- savoury
- red (e.g. food colour from the tandoori masala)
- bound (as with egg/flour)
- fine (as in blended)
- doesn't actually taste of minced meat!

I would say the "bare bones" of a keema filling are:

- minced lamb
- tandoori masala/paste
- egg
- sugar
- all blended

Plus maybe garlic, some additional spicing, fresh coriander, lemon juice, etc.

I think that BIRs are likely to use a keema mix that they already have available for kebabs, etc.

[JerryM]

CA,

many thanks - all very much appreciated.

i am pretty sure the keema is pre cooked before going into the bread and will follow your suggestions along this route.

i like your bare bones filling and will give it a go and report back (focusing just on the keema part).

your statement "doesn't actually taste of minced meat" sums it up for me - quite a bit to go at for what on the face of it seems a simple dish.

[CurryOnRegardless]

Hi JerryM

Might be worth trying a TOUCH of fennel and/or cinnamon in the keema, just a thought.

Regards
CoR

[Cory Ander]

Hi Jerry,

I've been busy making keema naans and I think option 1) (plus CH's suggestion to microwave them for a minute afterwards) is the way to go to fill the naans.

I've been trying option 3) too, but it's a bit of a disaster!  I'll post more, plus photos, methods, etc, tomorrow.....

[JerryM]

CoR,

i am convinced cinnamon is in the keema mix - i've just been using too much. a hint is all u need so the TOUCH as u say sits well with me.

the fennel i swear by - using it in the adapted CR02 base which is pretty much my std now. i'm not sure on using it in the keema - not going to discount it though.

your post got me thinking about the fennel which for no reason got me onto onion paste - i'm very tempted to use a little as a starting point for assembling CA's bare bones suggested ingredients.

CA,

interesting on option 1 - i must admit i felt more comfortably with this in terms of BIR likely practise. it was just the keema showing through in the rolled out naan that was questioning it. perhaps the mixture just need's to be runnier as opposed to a thickish paste.

armed with the posted info i intend to try a few takes on the keema mix this w/e

[Cory Ander]

Hi Jerry,

Here are the naans I made using option 1 mentioned in one of my previous posts:

I cooked them on a hot tava (30 seconds), then on a pizza stone, in a very hot oven/grill (260C), for about 2 minutes, until browing on top, then in a microwave (for 1 minute on high) to ensure the keema meat was cooked thoroughly.

I will post the recipes and detailed procedures in a new recipe thread.

CAUTION:  Liquid from the keema leaked onto the pizza stone and cracked it! BEWARE! 

From top left:

- keema meat
- ball of dough (approx. 60mm diameter) with a ball of keema (approx. 25mm diameter)
- keema meat pushed into a "well" in the dough
- dough shaped into a ball again (keema meat inside)
- ball flattened into a disc with palm of hand
- disc shaped into a naan
- cooking on a hot tava (30 secs)
- cooking in a hot oven/grill (approx. 2 minutes, until bubbly and browned)
- finished naan brushed with butter ghee

[Cory Ander]

And here is my disastrous attempt at option 3! 

In this case I flattened the keema into a thin disc and fried it in oil before attempting to fold it into the inside of a naan.  As you can see, it really didn't work too well!  :

Two observations here really:

- it's difficult to shape the naan with the precooked (and fairly rigid) keema inside it

- the dough just didn't want to rise subsequently

All in all a bit of a disaster I feel!  ;D

[JerryM]

CA,

u're a real star. many many thanks for some real hard work on your part.

this i'm has sorted it "keema naan" for me - i will look up the new post.

the finished option 1 naan looks top notch BIR for sure.