Captain's Choice Recipe

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, combine warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C), sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy.

Make dough

In a mixing bowl whisk flour and salt. Add yogurt, milk, vegetable oil and the foamy yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead 6–8 minutes by hand or 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook until smooth and slightly tacky. If dough is too sticky, dust with up to 1 tbs flour; if too dry, add 1–2 tbs warm water.

First rest

Shape dough into a ball, brush 1 tbs softened butter over the surface, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes until roughly doubled.

Divide and fill

Punch dough down and divide into 3 equal pieces for large individual naans. Preheat a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Flatten a dough piece into an oval about 7–8 inches. Sprinkle roughly 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella and about 1 tbs grated parmesan down the center, fold edges to seal lightly and gently roll out to an even 7–8 inch oval, keeping cheese enclosed but slightly visible through the dough in places.

Garlic butter

Combine remaining 2 tbs softened butter with minced garlic and half of the chopped parsley. Reserve a small spoonful for finishing.

Cook naan

Brush the hot skillet lightly with oil. Cook the stuffed naan 1–2 minutes on the first side until bubbly and golden brown spots appear, pressing gently with a spatula to promote even contact. Flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until the other side is golden and the cheese is melted. If you want extra char, move briefly to the stovetop flame (if using gas) or under a hot broiler for 30–45 seconds—watch carefully.

Finish

Immediately brush cooked naan with garlic butter, sprinkle reserved parmesan and coarse salt to taste, and scatter some chopped parsley. Keep cooked naans warm wrapped in a clean towel while you cook remaining pieces.

Season shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl toss shrimp with olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, kosher salt and black pepper until evenly coated. Zest the lemon and add zest to the shrimp; reserve lemon juice for finishing.

Sear shrimp

Heat a tablespoon-sized skillet or the same cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and sear 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque, lightly charred and just cooked through (internal temperature ~120–130°F for medium shrimp; they will continue to cook a little off heat). Do not overcrowd—work in two batches if needed.

Finish shrimp

Remove shrimp from pan to a plate. Squeeze the reserved lemon juice over the shrimp and toss with the remaining chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.

Place a warm cheesy garlic butter naan on a serving plate. Top with 4–5 seared shrimp per naan (for 3 naans distribute the 12 shrimp evenly). Sprinkle a pinch of chili flakes if using and additional parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.

Optional: For a saucier version, drizzle 1 tbs garlic butter mixed with 1 tbs olive oil and a squeeze of lemon over the finished naan before serving.