Persian-Mughlai bread · Oven baked
Taftan Recipe (Leavened Saffron Flatbread)
Soft dough. Saffron glaze. Short hot bake.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenTaftan is a soft leavened flatbread that came from Persia to Lahore and Lucknow, made with milk, yoghurt, egg and a touch of saffron. It turns heavy when the dough is stiff. The fix is a soft, well risen dough, a saffron milk glaze and a short bake in a very hot oven.
The 3 laws of taftan
Why this recipe works
Stiff dough
Light texture.
Water
Tender crumb.
Long bake
Soft inside.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Taftan
The NineFoods taftan gauge
Is it baked?
Look at the top.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Dough
- Knead a soft dough; rise until doubled.
Shape
- Roll rounds, dock with fingertips, glaze, add nigella.
Bake
- Bake on a hot tray. Use the gauge above.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Stiff dough.
Fix next time
Keep dough soft.
Why
Overbaked.
Fix next time
Bake 8 minutes.
Why
No glaze.
Fix next time
Glaze with saffron milk.
Why
Old yeast.
Fix next time
Use fresh yeast.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Saffron | Aroma | Cardamom |
| Egg | Richness | More yoghurt |
| Nigella | Topping | Sesame |
| Oven | Baking | Tawa and flame |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Kebabs, korma and nihari.
Store
Freeze 1 month.
Reheat
Warm oven in foil.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is it baked) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Taftan FAQ
What is taftan?
A soft leavened Persian-Mughlai flatbread.
How is taftan different from sheermal?
Taftan is less sweet and uses yoghurt and egg.
Can I add raisins?
Yes, some versions do.
Can I make it on a tawa?
Yes, cover and cook on low, then flame.