One of the best-selling items on the menu at Domino's in Delhi is the pizza topped with chicken tikka.
Yes, Indians do love pizza, and it is very much a part of the modern Indian food scene. But it is nothing new. My mother has made "pizza" since I was about five years old. She used a simple homemade dough topped with a homemade tomato sauce and my choice of chicken or vegetables. It was not called pizza, of course. I called it "chicken wali roti" (a chicken bread). When my son was younger, I took him to an eatery/children's play area in Delhi called Eatopia.
It serves a very popular version of Indian pizza called a Naanza, a naan dough topped with tandoori chicken or a variety of vegetarian toppings. We both fell in love with it. And it really is the same concept as a regular pizza: Great dough with the choicest of toppings. Incidentally, Zante's in San Francisco has sold Indian pizza since 1993. And California Pizza Kitchen serves a mango–tandoori chicken pizza. I could go on and on.
Ingredients: 1 (12-inch) packaged pizza crust (or use homemade pizza crust) Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup crumbled or grated paneer (Indian cheese)
1 cup ricotta cheese
8 to 10 very ripe figs, trimmed and thinly sliced
Table salt
11/88 teaspoon ground white pepper
8 to 10 basil leaves
Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the crust with a mist of nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the paneer and ricotta, and mix well. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the crust. Top with the figs, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Bake according to the directions given with the crust, usually about 10 to 12 minutes. The cheese will brown a little but it is not a melting cheese, so don't expect it to bubble. Serve topped with fresh basil leaves.
Note: If your figs are really ripe, this will taste like a dessert! For a savory version, combine the paneer with some minced cilantro, diced red onions and diced bell peppers.
