Generally, it resembles pita and, like pita bread, is usually leavened with yeast or with bread starter (leavened naan dough left over from a previous batch); unleavened dough (similar to that used for roti) is also used. Naan is cooked in a tandoor, from which tandoori cooking takes its name.

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The Naan originates from India but is today eaten in most types of South Asian restaurants and homes around the globe. It has transformed from a basic form of bread for many to experimental creations by chefs and food enthusiasts today with different fillings and flavours.

Its first recorded history can be found in the notes of the Indo-Persian poet Amir Kushrau in 1300 AD. It was originally cooked at the Imperial Court in Delhi as naan-e-tunuk (light bread) and naan-e-tanuri (cooked in a tandoor oven). During the Mughal era in India from around 1526, Naan accompanied by keema or kebab was a popular breakfast food of the royals.

In 1926, overlooking the hustle and bustle of Regent Street, Veeraswamy, Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant served Naan on its menu.

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So which came first? The Naan, Chapatti or the Pita Bread? Actually, it was the yeast. The yeast was first used in Egypt in 4000 BC but wasn’t understood till much later. Flat breads from 4000 BC-19th Century were un-leavened. People came to grips with the process of the yeast in the 19th Century. Pitta Bread was one of the earliest form of flat bread. Naans were cooked around the 14th Century and Chapatti followed in the 16th Century.

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The ‘World’s Biggest Naan Bread’ was made in 2004 by Honeytop Speciality Foods. It measured exactly 10ft by 4ft and celebrated the launch of Brewers Fayre’s Curry Nights in the UK. It took over five hours to make and required eight staff to carry it!

Another major record broken was by the restaurant called Indian Ocean. They broke the Naan World Record by making 640 Naan breads in just one hour. They out-numbered their target- 400, set by the Guinness Book of World Records. They were distributed to charity and greatly appreciated by the Salvation Army Hostel in Manchester, UK.

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• Plain Naan – simplest form which is brushed with ghee or butter.

• Garlic Naan – topped with crushed garlic and butter.

• Kulcha Naan – has a filling of cooked onions.

• Keema Naan – includes a filling of minced lamb, mutton or goat meat.

• Roghani Naan – sprinkled with sesame seeds, and is popular in Pakistan.

• Peshawari Naan and Kashmiri Naan –  filled with a mixture of nuts and raisins including pistachios.

• Paneer Naan – stuffed with a filling of paneer (cheese) flavoured with ground coriander and paprika.

• Amritsari Naan – stuffed with mash potatoes and spices and also known as ‘Aloo Naan,’ originating from Amritsar, India.

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