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Less than 24 hours after undergoing a heart procedure in an Indiana hospital, former NBA star and owner of the successful cannabis/hemp company Viola Brands, Al Harrington, was all smiles as we sat down to commence a candid conversation. That’s all you need to know about this extraordinary athlete’s toughness, tenacity and determination: When there’s a job to do, Al Harrington shows up and shines. And shine he did.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Harrington was the 25th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft after being selected as a McDonald’s High School All-American. Bypassing college hoops altogether, Harrington played six seasons with the Indiana Pacers then spent the following decade with the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards before retiring in 2015. In all, Harrington played in 16 seasons in the NBA—that’s quite an impressive run to be sure.

So it wasn’t a complete surprise when Harrington applied that hard-earned discipline from his playing days to his next venture, Viola Brands, the largest Black-owned cannabis brand producing products since 2011. Currently available in nine states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania—Viola’s mission, according to Harrington, is to “increase equity and ensure Black and brown people are afforded the opportunity to be a part of a fast-growing industry that has historically left them disenfranchised.”

Viola Brands’ latest big moves involve his recent collabs with fellow former NBA star, Allen Iverson, by partnering in distributing the popular strains Iverson ’01 and ’96. Most exciting, perhaps, is the latest news out of this team: Viola Brands recently announced they’re once again partnering with Iverson as well as Horticulture Co. and Circle K to launch a line of Allen Iverson-branded, hemp-derived THC beverages called IVERSON. Circle K is the exclusive retailer for this national rollout, which is considered one of the very largest for THC products in American mainstream retail.

This is a very big deal.

It’s with this knowledge and energy that we entered our conversation with Al Harrington, the tough as nails, eloquent ambassador for all things cannabis. He’s all heart. But you already knew that didn’t you?

Let’s go back to when you were a McDonald’s High School All Star pick—you must’ve been pursued by every top college team—what went into the decision to go straight into the NBA draft?

Yeah, man. Well, my story goes, when I was young, I was always the clumsiest kid in the room. Never got picked to play sports. At the end of my eighth-grade year, I was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatters, which is basically a huge growth spurt—I grew from 5’10” to 6’4” in one summer. When I got to high school, I wasn’t even gonna try out for basketball, but the JV coach, thank God, put me on the team. I was the worst player on the team. I couldn’t dunk. I couldn’t catch. But the next summer, I met this guy named Sandy Pyonin, who became my AAU coach, and that’s when everything changed, man. He taught me how to play basketball, how to dribble, shoot, run. Everything. I switched high schools and by my junior year, it all started to click. My senior year, I went to the Nike All-American Camp and ended up being MVP there, which put me in the top ten in the country. And I told my coach if I become No.1, I want to go pro. And he was like, “I don’t know about all that.”

It sounds as if you could’ve used a couple of years in college before going pro.

You know what, I probably could have. My AAU coach always says that. But I mean, shit, I played 16 years—so let’s not get it twisted. [Laughs] When I got to the league, I never, not once thought I didn’t belong. I never thought that my teammates, or the guys I played against, were that much better than me or that I should’ve gone to college. You know what I’m saying?

Let’s talk about New York City—I remember you with the Knicks, and all of a sudden, everything clicked for you. You scored more points than ever. Was something different playing at Madison Square Garden versus other places?

I’ll say why I had success in New York was really because I just never wanted to get booed. [Laughs] In New York City, they’ll boo your ass in a minute. So, I always made sure I had my best games in New York because I never wanted to get booed. But I can say I never got booed once in my two years playing there!

How did Viola, your successful cannabis brand since 2011, get its name?

So, my grandmother’s name is Viola. Right around the time I started playing for the Denver Nuggets, cannabis was just making its way onto the medical scene and I was reading about it every day in the newspapers—I’m a big newspaper reader—and at the end of that year, my grandmother came to see me play. When she got there, she was taking all this medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma…I told her I’d just read that cannabis can cure glaucoma. She looked at me and she said, “Reefer?! Boy, you trying to get me to smoke reefer?! You outta your mind!” And she laughed and laughed. But the next day I come home and she’s sitting in the kitchen complaining about how bad her eyes hurt, and I told her “Grandma, look, you’re in a legal market here. Doctors recommend cannabis for patients dealing with what you’re dealing with, so why don’t you just give it a try?” I called a dispensary, and they recommended a strain called Vietnam Kush. We bought this Volcano bag system, had her go outside and she tried it. I asked her how she was feeling. She was crying, and she said, “I’m healed! I haven’t been able to read the words in my Bible in more than three-and-a-half years.” I hug her and we call my mother, and she’s telling her, “God gave me my sight back. Everything’s so bright.” That’s what inspired me to just start learning more about cannabis, weed, reefer—whatever you want to call it—because of the medicinal benefit—the miracle it was for my grandmother.

Did she live long enough to see the company?

Yep, she did. She died in 2021, so she lived to 91 years. When I launched the company, she came to the launch party. And after we got done with dinner and everything, we were driving home and she was like, “Al, that was a lot of people, and everybody was saying my name, my name was everywhere.” She’s like, “If anything happens bad, will I go to jail?” [Laughs]

Not only do you have the deep medical origin story, but Viola is legitimately committed to entrepreneurs of color.

I mean it’s always been the focus once I got into the industry. This industry isn’t easy and it’s not really set up for us to be successful, especially when people have limited resources. And after COVID, it’s been in this kind of wonky place because so many people lost money betting on these huge players that couldn’t produce. But you know, at the end of the day, it’s like sports—you come into a game with a game plan to stop Steph Curry, and if it don’t work, you got to readjust the plan. So, we’ve pivoted into the adult beverage space; we continue to stay relevant and make sure that we keep a seat at the table as this industry continues to evolve.

A few years ago, you wrote an article stating there was still a war on marijuana. Do you think that’s still in place, particularly given the recent—and shocking— federal ban on hemp Trump signed into law?

Yeah, you see it all the time, man. Obviously, it makes no sense, right? You’d think that train has left the station already when it comes to banning any cannabis at this point. But that’s just the world we live in, especially in the US. Like the fact that there’s still Red Dye 40 in damn near everything we eat—it’s so funny the things they choose to care about when there’s other things that are really, really affecting and hurting all of us, even children. It’s just a weird time and the war on cannabis is continuing. [US Senator] Mitch McConnell throwing that in there in a budget bill is just criminal, right? Because who’s gonna stop a budget bill to address a hemp ban?

And Trump’s not gonna read the fine print, as we know.

I mean, even if he did, he’s not going to stop it—people have been out of work for more than 40 days, right? He can’t stop that to say, “I don’t want hemp in there” and go back and forth. But there’s always gonna be hurdles along the way, ’cause we’re going through prohibition, and we’ll find a way to come out good on the other side, it’s just gonna take us more time and money—and energy that a lot of people don’t seem to have anymore, because we kinda tired and beat up from getting to where are today. But at the end of the day, we see how much good is done and it’d be crazy for us to stop now.

You said post-COVID’s been wonky for the cannabis industry and capital’s sort of dried up—what I’ve seen is a lot of consolidations and collaborations. I’ve seen your recent work with Allen Iverson. I see you with Ricky Williams. How have you teamed up, and how are collaborations a part of Viola now?

Being an NBA player for 16 years, I understand that no matter how good Reggie Miller was by himself, if it wasn’t all of us collectively working together, he ain’t gonna win no games. So that’s kind of how I see it. For me, being able to join forces with people that are like-minded and come from sports is important—I know that athletes don’t quit. And what we do is really intentional.

Is the Iverson collaboration just on the beverage line?

No, so we actually started our collaboration with Allen Iverson in 2021, and it started with just flower. Then it went from flower to vapes to edibles and pre-rolls. Then we started concocting these beverages about two years ago, and we did a collaboration with a company called Tempters, where we provided the terpenes. We’re coming up on our two-year anniversary with them. Last month, we launched the IVERSON beverage and we got a national mandate with Circle K. So we’ll be in 3,000 Circle Ks.

Huge news. What a massive win.

Thank you, bro. I mean that came together so fast, man. God has always been on my side. And the fact that we met Circle K when we did and they allowed us to get in on that fourth quarter set, which was already done six months ago, was a huge play for us. We have all of our beverage line in there, five different brands. Spec’s, which is the biggest grossing THC beverage liquor store chain in the country, based in Texas, we just launched in there last week, and we’re just growing it from there—Goody Goody, Total Wine, Gopuff, we’re working on more. Obviously, with this bill, they just snuck a monkey wrench in there, but we’re still business as usual, we’re just going to have to work and lobby. We got a year to fight it, and I think we’ll make some weight because these products are too good and they’re helping so many people.

We’ve seen a lot of celebrity brands who come into the space, and don’t succeed. Is Viola’s success also partly due because you do enjoy the plant and it’s part of your life? What are some of the strains or forms of consumption that you enjoy?

So for me, I prefer OGs, you know, I just love the way OGs make you feel, it checks all the boxes. It gives you the body high, a little bit of a head high and relaxes me. I’m not a big sativa smoker because it makes my heart race and I get in my head. For OGs, I like the Skittles for flavor and high, so we’ve been doing a lot of variations of cuts with Skittles. Lemon Cherry Gelato had a huge run; we’re doing a lot of crossing with that. We’re crossing a lot of stuff with Blue Nerds right now. I prefer a hybrid, because I don’t like being too high where I can’t do anything. I’m looking more for functional, right? And that’s what we brought to the beverages—I drink beverages every single day and I smoke more socially. All our beverages have clean ingredients—low sugar, low calorie. Always standing true to our roots of health and wellness. I’ve literally lost millions of dollars because I wanted to make sure we stayed with the quality. Bottom line? This brand has my grandmother’s name. If it’s not good enough for Grandma Viola to smoke, then we’re not allowing nobody else to smoke it. And to your point, I honestly believe that’s why we’re still here and well respected after all these years.

Yeah, nobody’s booing you in the cannabis space either, that’s for sure. 

No doubt. I still got that fear. [Laughs]

Where are you in five years?

In five years, man, I hope that we’re still in this game. I think we’ll have some of the best spirits in the cannabis space, maybe circle back to edibles. I think we’ll be one of the biggest brands in convenience, through Circle K, hopefully 7-Eleven and we’re talking to Target. You know, when I started I never would’ve thought that I’d ever be sitting in a store next to Doritos and Pepsi. [Laughs] It’s just amazing where we’ve come, and we’re not gonna stop. We’ll keep trying to break down all those damn barriers.

The post Al Harrington: The Heart of a Lion appeared first on Cannabis Now.

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Italian cream cake, also called Italian wedding cake, is a fabulously moist cake with flavors of coconut, pecans, and almond. It’s slathered with cream cheese frosting, and all the flavors come together beautifully. (soy-free and gluten-free options)

Italian wedding cake is normally much more decadent, with a cream cheese buttercream frosting with tons of sugar. I converted it into a lighter, vegan version. 

Traditionally, Italian cream cake is supposed to be dense, but I aimed for a texture that’s still moist and fudgy, but with a little airiness. For the cream cheese frosting, I kept it less sweet, but you can always add more sugar if you prefer. 

This cake it absolutely delicious and perfect for special occasions! It’s moist and fluffy with a rich texture and tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting. The toasted coconut and pecan toppings add texture and an incredible flavor.

The cake comes together quickly with everyday ingredients. If you don’t have almond extract, you can omit it. There’s still plenty of flavor without it!

Why You’ll Love Italian Wedding Cake

• lightened up version of the traditional recipe, but still moist and decadent-tasting
• delicious combination of textures and flavors – fluffy cake, creamy frosting, and toasty coconut and pecans on top
• easy to make with everyday ingredients
• easy to make gluten-free and soy-free

Continue reading: Italian Cream Cake (Italian Wedding Cake)

The post Italian Cream Cake (Italian Wedding Cake) appeared first on Vegan Richa.

This whole roasted herb garlic roast chicken has the perfect crispy chicken skin and tons of flavour from herbs, garlic and butter. This post includes detailed instructions on how to roast chicken, make a flavorful herb garlic butter, a delicious jus, as well as tips to prep and carve a chicken.

If there’s one recipe my family always requests I make every Christmas, it’s this Herb Garlic Roasted Chicken. It makes for such a delicious meal; super satisfying and has all the Christmas-y vibes. This is a complete meal with roasted veggies and gravy made from the leftover meat juices, which means you don’t have to cook separate dishes when hosting and nothing goes to waste!

This recipe and it’s steps might feel long and complicated, but don’t let that intimidate you. I’ve explained each and every step in detail so that it’s simple to follow. You can also take a look at the video below!

Herb Garlic Roast Chicken Ingredients

Chicken

• Chicken – Whole, with giblets and neck removed
• Lemon – halved and placed inside the cavity to add freshness and aroma
• Rosemary sprig – tucked inside the chicken for subtle herbal flavor
• Olive oil – to brush the chicken for a golden, crisp roast

Marinade

• Butter – adds a really nice flavor and aroma
• Garlic – minced, to infuse the chicken with a deep, savory flavor
• Herbs – finely chopped sage, rosemary, and thyme add a lovely earthy aroma and flavor
• Paprika and pepper – for a hint of spicy kick and seasoning
• Lemon zest and juice – for brightness and tanginess

Vegetables

• Onions and potatoes – for flavor and texture
• Garlic head – halved
• Chicken stock – poured into the pan to keep the roast juicy and form the base for the gravy. I don’t recommend replacing this with water

Gravy

• Flour – to thicken the pan juices after roasting, turning them into a rich, savory gravy

How to Make Herb Garlic Butter

The herbs we have used are thyme and sage, and some people also like to add parsley. They are not overpowering and they beautifully complement each other. We’ve added some paprika and ground pepper for some heat. My favourite and most underrated ingredient is lemon for some citrusy zing! Everything is mixed with butter – this is such a simple marinade with clean flavours.

We use this herb butter under and on the skin which is how this roast chicken recipe is packed with flavour.

Three Important Steps For The Best Crispy Skin Roast Chicken

1. Loosening chicken skin: The key to getting that crispy skin on the roast chicken is to loosen the skin of the chicken before marinating it. The skin on the chicken traps all the juices of the herb garlic butter and allows the meat to absorb flavours really well. It makes the chicken really succulent and also gives a nice crispy skin on top. Be as careful as possible so you don’t tear the skin. Don’t skip this step, otherwise you’ll end up with a fab looking chicken on the outside but with bland meat on the inside.

2. Marinating the chicken: The advantage of having loosened the skin of the chicken is that you can not only put the herb garlic butter over the chicken, but also under the skin and inside the cavity! This actually creates a double whammy of flavours! We recommend marinating the stuffed chicken overnight in the fridge for max flavour!

3. Trussing the chicken: Trussing is basically when you tie up the wings and legs of a chicken, or any bird, before roasting it. For this roast chicken, we haven’t trussed the bird like it is traditionally done. We’ve just tied the legs to make it more presentable! Tuck the wings of the chicken behind the neck. This prevents the wing tips from burning as the chicken roasts.

How To Cook A Whole Chicken

I like to use a cast iron skillet to roast the chicken and veggies, but any roasting pan will do. Elevate the chicken (breast side up) by placing it on top of the veggies – this way the meat juices will easily drip down into the pan. A drizzle of olive oil on top ensures it gets that golden colour. With me so far? Great job! We’ve added chicken stock and a few sprigs of rosemary to the pan. And we’ll use these reduced juices to make a delicious jus. Yum yum!

Richa’s Top Tips

• If your chicken was refrigerated, take it out of the fridge 60 minutes before you are ready to roast it to bring it to room temperature. This will ensure even cooking.
• Preheat the oven at 200 degrees C. Preheating helps to cook the meat evenly.
• Bake the chicken at 200 degrees C for about 25-30 minutes
• The cooking time will differ based on the size of the chicken. The general rule is 25 minutes cook time for 500 grams of chicken. Our 1 kg whole roast chicken took about 50 minutes to cook. 
• After baking for 30 minutes, baste the chicken – with the rendered fat and juices of the chicken and veggies in the bottom of the pan. After basting it, put the chicken back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
• At this point, if the skin is browning up too quickly, place another tray on the rack above the chicken. This will prevent the heat from hitting the chicken skin directly.
• When the oven temperature hits 75C or 165F, OR when you see those meat juices running clear, that’s when you know that the chicken is done.
• Rest for 10-15 minutes before carving

How to Carve Chicken

Now it’s carving time! Cut off and remove the twine completely. Use a fork and a meat knife and cut between the joints of the leg and body. If your chicken is cooked perfectly, it should cut right through without any hassle. Next, keeping your hand for support, horizontally slice off each breast of the chicken. The wings can be taken off next. And finally, you can shred any extra meat off the carcass. The carcass is perfect to make stock. 

Roast Chicken Gravy

Usually the gravy is made with a roux of flour and butter and the meat juices. We’ve taken a shortcut by directly whisking in flour. (Just saving you and me a couple of extra steps!) The jus will turn out to be a nice golden brown and saucy. It’s my favourite part of the dish coz it’s like all components of this dish rolled into one! Plus we don’t want to waste a single bit of flavour in that pan. Serve this jus in an elegant piece of crockery, and pour it onto the chicken pieces in front of your guests. How’s that for presentation?

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Ideas

• Serve the carved herb garlic roast chicken with the roasted onions, sweet potatoes, and garlic from the pan, plus a generous drizzle of the lemony pan gravy.
• Pair with simple sides like mashed potatoes, buttered green beans, steamed veggies, or a fresh green salad to balance the richness.
• For a more casual meal, serve with crusty bread or garlic bread to mop up all the buttery, herby juices.

Customisation ideas

• Swap sweet potatoes with carrots, regular potatoes, or parsnips for a different roast veggie mix.
• Change up the herbs by using Italian seasoning or adding oregano and parsley if you do not have sage or thyme.
• Add a touch of heat with chilli flakes or cayenne in the marinade, or a bit of honey for a sweeter, caramelised finish on the skin.

This herb garlic roast chicken is the kind of recipe you can come back to on special occasions, but it is comforting enough to make for cozy weekends too. With crisp skin, juicy meat, and plenty of roasted veggies and gravy on the side, it is simple enough for everyday cooking but impressive enough for guests.

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to send me pictures over on my IG @my_foodstory. I love seeing your recreations and chatting with you guys!

Watch How to make Roast Chicken Recipe Video

Print

Whole Roast Chicken

Classic roast chicken made scrumptious with our very own herb garlic marinade. This detailed foolproof recipe will help you make the perfect homemade roast chicken.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, American Italian, Continental

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 portions

Calories 494kcal

Author Richa

Ingredients

• 1 kg whole chicken at room temperature giblets and neck removed from cavity
• 1 Lemon halved
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• Olive Oil for brushing

Marinade

• ½ cup Salted Butter
• 2 tablespoon Garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon Sage chopped
• ½ teaspoon Rosemary chopped
• ½ teaspoon Thyme chopped
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Lemon Zested
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Vegetables

• 3 Onion quartered
• 2 Sweet Potato chunks
• 1 head Garlic halved
• ½ cup Chicken Stock + ¼ cup extra

Gravy

• 1 tablespoon flour

Instructions

• Add all the marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together to combine. Use the back of a spoon to gently loosen the skin. Turn over the chicken and repeat the process using the other end of the spoon. Use the spoon to insert marinade underneath the chicken skin. Massage the chicken and spread the marinade evenly. Remember to add butter in the cavity as well. Rub the remaining marinade all over the chicken. Cover the chicken and rest for 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Stuff the rosemary sprig into the chicken cavity along with half a lemon. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
• Lightly grease a roasting pan. Mix the sweet potato, onion, and garlic in a bowl. Place some of the vegetables in the center of the roasting pan. Place breast-side up on top of the vegetables in the middle. Place the remaining vegetables on the sides of the pan. Tuck the wings underneath the chicken as they cook faster and we do not want to overcook them. Rub the chicken with some olive oil and drizzle some over the vegetables as well. Add half a cup of chicken stock to the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 200C. Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes. baste using the pan juices half way through cooking time. Remember when cooked, juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer. Internal temperature should read 75C.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to stand for 10 minutes before serving. To carve the chicken, first cut out the legs. Then proceed to cut the breast out carefully, seperate the wing tips and then remove the meat from the cavity area.
• Remove the vegetables from the roasting pan and move it to a serving platter. Add 1 tablespoons of flour to the pan and whisk it with the pan juices. Bring this mixture to a boil over low heat till the liquid thickens up to make a gravy. Add up to an additional quarter cup of stock if necessary. Serve hot along with the chicken and vegetables!

Video

Notes

1. The chicken I used was approximately 1.2 kgs. This took 90 minutes at 220C. The time may vary depending on your oven’s capacity and the size of the chicken. 
2. Use chicken with skin on as the skin gives it that crispy roast texture. 
3. Remember to marinade the chicken well. Apply the marinade in between the skin and meat. These pockets can hold ample amounts of marinade and help get the flavour all the way into the meat. 
4. Knowing when the chicken is cooked: The internal temperature of cooked chicken should read 165F/73C. The most handy way to tell would be using a meat thermometer. If you do not own one, you can cut and check the juices. If the meat is white in colour and the juices run clear that means the chicken is cooked. The meat or the juices should not have a red/pinkish hue. 
5. Getting rid of juices Tip 1: A trick to getting rid of the juices if you absolutely prefer it that way is to remove the chicken once its cooked and place the sheet pan with veggies back into the oven on the top rack. Turn the broiler or the top element on and let the veggies broil for 3-4 minutes. This will get them nice and crispy and evaporate all the juices in the sheet pan.
6. Getting rid of juices Tip 2: Another way to get rid of the juices is to sear the thighs on both sides in a pan first before placing them in the oven. This can help lock in the juices so that you have less liquid when it comes out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 11847IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg

This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.

The post Herb Garlic Roast Chicken appeared first on My Food Story.

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This sun-dried tomato roast makes a stunning centerpiece for any holiday table. Packed with umami and filled with a hearty blend of mushrooms and potatoes, it delivers deep flavor and satisfying texture in every slice. Completely vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free with an easy nut-free option.

This is my version of a vegan holiday roast. We make this “meat” mixture with some white beans and almond flour, and process it until smooth. I also add some sun dried tomatoes for that rich, umami flavor. 

The mixture becomes like a pâté in the food processor, then we spread that onto parchment paper.

Next, make the stuffing with cooked mushrooms, potatoes, and herbs. Place that on top of the bean mixture, roll it up using the parchment, and bake it. 

It turns into this delicious, amazing-smelling roast that’s full of herbs and deep umami flavor from the sun dried tomatoes. It’s just perfect!

It’s completely gluten-free, but if you prefer, you can use all-purpose flour instead of tapioca starch. It’s also soy-free, since many of you asked for a soy-free option after I made that very popular tofu holiday roast a few years ago. 

You can easily adjust the flavors to your taste! Use fewer sun-dried tomatoes or different herbs, if you like. I usually serve it with a side salad, my simple vegan gravy, and some roasted vegetables for a perfect holiday or dinner plate.

Why You’ll Love Sun Dried Tomato Roast

• umami-packed vegan holiday roast
• savory mushroom-potato stuffing
• make-ahead friendly vegan holiday entree
• naturally gluten-free and soy-free with nut-free option

Continue reading: Sun Dried Tomato Holiday Roast with Mushroom-Potato Stuffing

The post Sun Dried Tomato Holiday Roast with Mushroom-Potato Stuffing appeared first on Vegan Richa.

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 If you’ve ever wished you could make restaurant-style Garlic Naan at home without any stress, you’re going to love this recipe!

Making restaurant-style garlic naan at home is easier than you’d think. All you need is a few pantry staple ingredients and 30 minutes to recreate the best, homemade garlic naan. Since this is a no-yeast recipe, the dough needs almost no resting time, which means you can whip up a batch whenever the craving for it hits. 

This recipe keeps things really easy, even if you’re new to making naan. And once you get the hang of it, you can switch things up to add a little chilli to turn it into a chilli-garlic naan, or try our no-yeast naan variation when you want something even quicker.  can get the same restaurant-style charred bits and a smokey flavour on the stovetop.  

Ingredients for Garlic Naan

• Dry Ingredients: Maida, salt, sugar (helps tenderize, brown and balance flavors), and baking powder (for that signature naan fluffiness)make up the base of this naan.
• Wet Ingredients: Milk and water help bring the dough together, and a little oil keeps it smooth and easy to roll.
• Garlic Topping: Finely chopped garlic and coriander for that classic flavour.
• Finishing: Melted butter brushed on top once the naan is cooked to give it that glossy, restaurant-style finish.

Richa’s Top Tips

• Make sure the pan is hot enough, but not smoking before placing the rolled dough, or it won’t stick properly. 
• Once you make dough balls, leave them to rest on a greased plate or baking tray to prevent them from sticking to the plate or each other. Rest the dough properly: Those 30 minutes of resting time make a huge difference. The dough relaxes, becomes easier to roll, and cooks softer.
• Roll it evenly (and not too thick): A thin, even naan puffs better on the tawa and cooks without turning chewy.
• Use water to help it stick: Brushing the non-garlic side with water before placing it on the tawa ensures the naan sticks well and won’t fall off when you flip the pan.
• Cook on medium heat: Too high and the naan burns before it cooks through, too low and it dries out. Medium heat gives the perfect puff and colour.
• Press the garlic in gently: Lightly pressing the garlic onto the dough helps it stay put while cooking instead of falling off on the tawa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Tips

• Fridge: Keep leftover naan wrapped in foil or in an airtight container for 2 days. Warm it on a tawa with a little butter to bring back the softness.
• Freezer: Garlic naan freezes really well. Cool completely, stack with butter paper between each piece, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to a month.
• Reheating: Heat on a tawa for 1–2 minutes until soft. Avoid the microwave for too long because it can make the naan chewy.

Serving Ideas

Garlic Naan goes with almost any creamy curry or sabzi, but here are some tried-and-loved pairings that turn it into a full, comforting meal:

• With Restaurant-Style Paneer Butter Masala: The soft naan soaks up that creamy, rich gravy beautifully.
• With Amritsari Dal: A cozy, earthy combo that tastes like proper North Indian comfort food.
• With Slow Cooker Chicken Curry: Perfect for days when you want something hearty but hands-off.
• With South Indian Style Egg Curry: If you want something spicy, comforting, and quick.
• With Easy One Pot Mutton (Lamb) Kofta Curry: For a fuller, more indulgent meal.
• With Chana Masala: A classic vegetarian pairing that never disappoints.
• With Dal Tadka: Simple, wholesome, and perfect when you want something light but satisfying.

Customisation Ideas

• Extra-Garlic Lover’s Naan: Mix grated garlic directly into the dough and brush the naan with garlic butter at the end for a double-hit of flavour.
• Cheesy Garlic Naan: Right after flipping the naan and letting it puff, sprinkle shredded mozzarella or cheddar on the cooked side. It melts instantly and tastes like restaurant-style cheese naan.
• Chilli-Garlic Twist: Mix finely chopped green chillies into the garlic topping before pressing it onto the dough. Adds heat without changing the recipe structure.
• Herb Explosion: Swap coriander for fresh chives or parsley if you want a milder, fresher flavour profile.

Did You Know?

The word “naan” comes from the Persian word nān, which simply means “bread.” The earliest mentions of naan date back to 1300 AD in the writings of Indo-Persian poet Amir Khusrau. It was originally baked in royal Mughal kitchens—making naan the original food of emperors.

Now it’s over to you! Make a fresh, cozy, homemade garlic naan without special equipment using simple ingredients for that amazing restaurant-style flavour. Serve it hot, share it around, and watch how quickly it becomes a favourite. 

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @my_foodstory when you make it. I’d love to see your fluffy naans!

Watch Garlic Naan Recipe Video

Print

Garlic Naan

Learn how to make delicious crispy butter garlic naan at home without using yeast or a tandoor!

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Portions

Calories 167kcal

Author Richa

Ingredients

For naan

• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 ½ + ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup maida
• 2 teaspoons sunflower oil divided

Other

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

• Add all dry ingredients, maida, salt, sugar, baking powder in a bowl and mix well. Add 1 teaspoon oil, milk & water and knead for 7-8 minutes till you get a soft, smooth dough. Add oil on the surface of the dough & keep covered to rest for 30 minutes.
  3 tablespoons milk, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch sugar, 1 ½ + ⅛ teaspoon baking powder, 1 cup maida, 2 teaspoons sunflower oil, 3 tablespoons water
• Herb butter: Take melted butter in a bowl, add coriander leaves. Mix and set aside.
  1 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
• Heat tawa on medium.
• Divide the dough into 3-4 balls. Take a ball of dough, place it on a rolling platform and roll into a round or oval shaped naan, about 6 inches long and ⅛ inch thick. Sprinkle chopped garlic and gently press with fingers.
  1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• Brush the non garlic side with water and place the water side on the hot tawa so that it sticks well to the tava (watch video for details). cook on high until bubbles form on top, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the tava over so that the naan is directly over the flames. Set the heat to medium and move the tava around till more bubbles form and naan is brown all over and charred around the edges.
  2 tablespoons water
• Alternatively, if the naan does not stick to the tava or slips out while frying, you may hold the naan with tongs and fry the naan over flames on either side till they turn brown.
• Transfer the naan on a plate, brush with the herb butter and serve. Repeat the same process of making naan with the rest of the dough.

Video

Notes

• If the dough is extremely sticky, add a teaspoon of flour at a time till it’s workable. The dough should be soft and pliable
• Roll the naan thin so that it puffs up better
• To make this in the oven, heat the oven to 220C or as high as your oven will go. Place the baking tray in the oven to get it nice and hot. Roll out the naan with all the toppings. Brush the other side with water and place it water-side down on the hot baking tray, being careful not to burn yourself. Now place the baking tray back in the oven. After 3-4 minutes once you see the naan puff up and see bubbles on top, turn on the broil function (or only the top element) and cook it for another 2-3 minutes till it browns a bit. Then take it out and brush it with butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.

The post Easy Butter Garlic Naan appeared first on My Food Story.