CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Pizza is one word that tempts a lot of people from kids to teenagers and people of all age groups. It is one of the all-time favorites of people who are fancy for fast foods and love to try something cheesy and enjoy a variety of toppings on their pizzas as well. This concept hails from the Naples region of Italy and has ever since found its way into the hearts of global foodies and connoisseurs who love Italian cuisine and most importantly the different types of pizzas!
We usually come across a few types like the thin crust, thick crust, and the deep pan pizza varieties at our known outlets. However, in India, we have seen pizzas being worked upon in several localized tastes and flavors as well. Some outlets serve pizzas with Indian toppings like paneer tikka, chicken tikka, butter garlic prawn pizza, mincemeat and cheese pizza, etc.
Pizzas have not just been restricted to Italy and few parts of the world but many countries have adapted to this concept and with a few modifications created tempting bites of this gloriously versatile preparation!
Here are a few tips on how to make your pizzas more interesting!
For the pizza base options
Use multi grain base, high protein flour pizza bread, flavored pizza bread with herbs, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, combination flour pizza base with whole wheat, millet, sago, oat meal flour, soy flour as well.
For the spread on pizza bread
Besides the regular tomato sauce, we can try applying a combination of peanut butter with tomato ketchup, pesto chutney with cream cheese as a spread, schezuan chutney with tomato sauce combination, mango pickle masala with cheese sauce, cooked methi garlic masala with tangy and spicy flavors from red chili sauce and dash of honey, for the sweet options Nutella works well for fruit topping pizzas.
For the toppings on pizzas
Cooked Achari aloo, Manchurian balls, tava fry tofu, palak soy chunks, paneer bhurji with Thai sweet chili sauce, scrambled eggs with roasted crushed peanuts, stir fried Chinese noodles with veggies, Italian style sliced grilled eggplant in burnt garlic tomato sauce, cooked chicken satay, chicken 65, paneer do pyaaza pizza!
Here are a few options of Simple Easy Pizzas!
SOY KEEMA PEPPER MINI PIZZA
Ingredients
Pizza base- 4-6 no
For the soy keema pepper topping
Oil- 2 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Tomato puree- ½ cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Garam masala powder- ½ tsp
Red chili powder- ½ tsp
Mixed herbs and chili flakes- to taste
Soy keema- 1 cup soaked in warm water for 10 -15 mins.
Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp.
Chaat masala- ½ tsp
Shredded /chopped green capsicums- ¼ cup
Sliced onions- ¼ cup
Cheese- as required.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the pizza.
- Heat oil and saute the garlic, onion, add in the soaked drained soy keema and mix well, add in the salt and all the spices and tomato puree and cook the keema well, simmer for 10-12 mins.
- Add in the green capsicums mix well cook for 2 mins and remove.
- Apply any spread like tomato-chili sauce mix on the pizza base of your choice top with the soy keema pepper topping and sprinkle chili flakes, onion rings, etc fresh herbs, cheese, and bake.
- Serve hot.
MINI MURGH MASALA PIZZAS
Ingredients
Pizza base of your choice- 4- 6 no
For the murgh masala topping:
Chicken – 250 gms boneless cut into pieces
Apply marination of lime juice, salt, garam masala powder on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 15 mins.
Oil- 2 tbsp.
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Onion paste/chopped- ½ cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato puree-1/2 cup
Red chili powder and turmeric powder- ½ tsp each
Coconut milk- ½ cup thick
Cashew paste-1 tbsp.
Kasoori methi-1 tsp.
Fresh coriander leaves- 2 tbsp.
Sliced onion/capsicums-1/4 cup
Herbs and chili flakes to taste
Cheese- as required.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the pizza.
- Marinate the chicken and keep aside.
- Heat oil and cook up the masala, starting with ginger-garlic paste, onions, tomato puree, salt and spices.
- Add in the chicken pieces, saute well and stir for 1 min.
- Add a little water if needed or 2 tbsp. beaten curd add cashew paste, kasoori methi and simmer for 5- 7 mins.
- Finally add in the thick coconut milk and stir well and get a nice coating texture to the chicken pieces, add coriander leaves.
- Cool the topping a little and then place on the pizza bread top with grated cheese bake and serve hot.
PEPPER PEANUT BUTTER VEGGIE MINI PIZZAS
Ingredients
Pizza base of your choice- 4-6 nos.
For the spread
Peanut butter-2 tbsp. + tomato ketchup-2 tbsp. + chili sauce- 1 tsp + chopped green chilies- 1 tsp + chaat masala-1/4 tsp mix well and apply on the pizza bread.
For the topping
Assorted mix veggies like blanched Babycorn, zucchini cubes, broccoli florets, boiled sweet corn, assorted bell peppers, grilled paneer cubes, stir fried tofu, pineapple cubes, schezuan soy chunks, roasted or grilled sliced eggplant, leftovers like jeera aloo, Gobi aloo, Mattar paneer, etc
For the final touch
Sliced black and green olives, fresh basil, jalapenos, sun-dried tomatoes, chili flakes, and grated cheese.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the pizza.
- Apply the spread as above on the pizza bread.
- Place the veggie toppings as per choice.
- Add the final touch ingredients with cheese and bake.
- Serve hot.
Dr. Kaviraj Khialani, the celebrity master chef, is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on Colors television and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach, and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
