Looking for something new to try that has a different taste than the cuisines you may be used to? Do you like to make health-conscious food that tastes great? Are you a pizza fan, but have to go without some of the more fattening ingredients?
Tandoori Naan Pizza may be what you are looking for in a recipe then! Whether it’s a vegetable or chicken tandoori on top of a home-made tandoori naan pizza crust, it will be sure to hit the spot. Top this tandoori naan pizza with some crumbly cheese like feta or gorgonzola cheese for a rich tasting lunch or snack.
Where does Tandoori Naan Come From?
Tandoori naan is a type of dish that was created by adding the Indian dish Tandoori to traditional Naan bread.
What is Tandoor?
A tandoor or a tannour, is a cylindrical small clay oven. The device that you cook tandoori with is called the tandoor and the finished meal of what is cooked inside the tandoor is called tandoori (i.e. tandoori chicken).
Tandoor recipes can be recreated with a modern stove found in most modern homes. Tandoori paste can be bought pre-made and this gives the dish it’s distinct smoky, spicy quality.
What is Naan?
Naan is an overall term for flatbread made in different countries of the world. In the Indian subcontinent, naan was created in their tandoor and referred to as Tandoori Naan. Instead of cooking the unleavened loaf in the traditional way, naan would be instead put into a tandoor to cook.
Naan that is made inside a tandoor has a distinct tear-drop shape to the bread. This is a bonus for serving with tandoori dishes like tandoori fish or tandoori chicken because the bread is easier to use as a dipping device, or serving surface.
How to Make Tandoori Naan Pizza
To make a tandoori naan pizza, you need to decide what kind of pizza you would like to try. There are a few choices that would go great on naan flatbread, including tandoori chicken and tandoori vegetables. For ease of making, seek pre-made tandoori paste and pre-made naan bread to get into this recipe quickly.
Tandoori Chicken Naan Pizza
You will need
- Pre-made tandoori paste, gives the flavor of a real tandoor in use
- 1 lb raw chicken breast, cubed
- Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 cup of plain yogurt
- 1 mango, cubed
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 can of tomato paste
- ½ lb of fresh mozzarella, shredded, or pulled apart into small chunks
- Fresh sprigs of mint leaves
- Fresh bunch of cilantro
- Pre-made naan bread
- Marinate the cubed chicken breast in the tandoori paste and refrigerate for up to two hours
- Mix some tandoori paste with two tablespoons of tomato paste to create the pizza sauce
- Add cumin, cayenne, and a dash of paprika here for more color, and a deeper taste
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator
- Preheat a large non-stick pan and drizzle olive oil into it
- When the oil is hot enough, add the tablespoon of garlic to the pan
- Cook until garlic is brown
- Add chicken and cook until chicken is thoroughly heated through
- Add more tandoori paste here to taste
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Prepare your naan bread by spooning the tandoori tomato paste mixture onto the naan in a thin layer
- Cover the pizza sauce with shredded mozzarella
- Place a handful of chicken onto each piece of naan
- Place your naan pizzas onto a nonstick baking surface and bake them for about ten-fifteen minutes
- Remove the naan pizzas from the oven
- While they cool, drizzle yogurt onto the top of the tandoori chicken
- Add mango, red onion, cilantro, mint leaves, and more fresh mozzarella to the top and enjoy
What Does Tandoori Naan Pizza Taste Like?
Tandoori naan pizza should be a crisp and delicious dish. The above dish will have a spicy and sweet bite with the tandoori and mango mixing together in the mouth. The drizzle of yogurt on top of the tandoori chicken will cool off the mouth from the spiciness of the tandoori.
Whether it is a vegetarian pizza or if it has meat added such as chicken or beef, the crispy texture of the naan and the spiciness of the Tandoori sauce will complete the dish. Don’t forget to save any leftovers to reheat at a later date to enjoy again!
Conclusion
Tandoori is a type of cuisine that is cooked in a special clay oven called a tandoor. Chicken, fish, and vegetables can be cooked in this oven. Naan is a type of flat bread in many countries and can also be prepared and cooked in a tandoor.
If you mix the two of these together with a third food item, pizza, you get a decadent Tandoori Naan Pizza that is healthy, and tasty. The spiciness of the tandoori chicken is met with sweetness from the red onion, mango, and yogurt. This is a great dish if you want to make something that is adventurous in cuisine as it is in flavor!
