Naan Bread

Náng is the staple bread of Xinjiang, integral to Uyghur, Kazakh and Uzbek daily life in the region. Made from wheat flour, yeast, salt and water (sometimes with eggs or milk added for enrichment), the dough is shaped into flat rounds of varying sizes — from palm-sized personal naan to metre-wide ceremonial breads. The surface is stamped with a carved wooden mould (nang chäkküch) to create decorative patterns and vented holes, then slapped onto the inside wall of a clay tandoor oven. It bakes in minutes, the edges charring slightly while the surface toasts golden. Sesame seeds, nigella seeds or poppy seeds are common garnishes. Náng is eaten at every meal, broken by hand and used to scoop up polo pilaf, lagman sauce or simply dipped in yoghurt. The large ceremonial versions dried hard keep for weeks and are given as gifts.