Step 1: Combine the yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2: Place 4-1/2 cups flour and the salt in the bowl of a food processor or mixer with a dough hook. With the processor or mixer running, add the yeast mixture, yogurt, and vegetable oil. You’re looking for a dough that is soft but not too sticky: add additional flour as needed. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes in a processor, 5 to 8 minutes in a mixer, or to 8 minutes by hand.

Step 3: Place the dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl, turning it to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Step 4: Punch down the dough and pinch off 2-inch pieces. Roll them between your palms into smooth balls. You should have 12 to 14 balls. Place the balls on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with a lightly dampened clean kitchen towel. Let rise again until puffy, about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high.

Step 6: Rolling, folding, and grilling the dough. In India, this would be done right next to the tandoor. I like to do it at grill side. (I bring a cutting board and rolling pin outside and work next to the grill. Roll out a dough ball on a lightly flowered cutting board to form a flat disk about 6 inches in diameter. Using a pastry brush, brush off any excess flour. Using a second pastry brush, brush the top of the bread with melted butter. Starting at the end closest to you, fold the bread up like an accordioneach pleat should be 1 inch long. This will give you a thin flat rectangle of dough. Now, starting at 1 end, roll the rectangle into a roll (from the top it will look spiraled, like a sticky bun. Finally, using your rolling pin and a little additional flour if necessary, roll out the dough to form another flat disk about 6 inches across. Lightly brush the top with butter. Continue rolling and folding the breads, until all the dough is used up.

Step 7: Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the breads, buttered side down, on the grate, a few at a time (don’t crowd the grate). Grill each bread until the bottom is crusty and browned and the top is puffed and blistered, 2 to 4 minutes. Lightly brush the top with a little more butter. Invert the bread and grill the other side until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Lightly brush each bread with more butter as it comes off the grill and serve piping hot. Serve whole, or cut each naan into 3 wedges to serve the traditional way. Thanks to the pleating, folding, and rolling, the bread with puff and separate into thin buttery layers.