Recipe- Mouthwatering Paneer Tikka Naan Pizza

Paneer Tikka Naan Pizza- a super flavorful Indian style vegetarian pizza made using paneer, spices, cheese and homemade naan. The recipe uses paneer and naan as the main ingredients. And since this is Indian inspired, there are obviously some (or many!) spices! Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese that's made from curdled milk and some variation of fruit or vegetable acid, such as lemon juice. Many refer to it as Indian cottage cheese. It is a big and tasty part of Indian cuisine. It's a great source of protein in vegetarian dishes. This pizza is perfect for a date night or whenever the pizza craving kicks in!

Ingredients

Paneer Tikka

1/2 cup yogurt 120 grams, plain milk yogurt (make sure yogurt is thick and not runny)
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon mustard oil
1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder mainly for color, this is not hot
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed, dried fenugreek leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
225 grams paneer cut into cubes, soak store bought paneer in warm water for 20 minutes before using
1/2 of large green pepper diced, 1/2 to 3/4 inch
1/2 medium red onion diced, 1/2 to 3/4 inch
1/2 jalapeño sliced

Spiced Pizza Sauce

1/2 cup pizza sauce use any bottled marinara sauce
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon garam masala
pinch red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi
1/2 tablespoon butter you can use salted or unsalted

For the Pizza

1 cup shredded cheese or more to taste, mozzarella cheese or cheese blend
4 medium naan homemade or store bought (cooked naan)

Method

* To a bowl add yogurt (make sure the yogurt is thick and not runny at all) and then add the ginger-garlic paste, mustard oil, coriander powder, chaat masala, kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, kasuri methi and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

* Using a whisk mix it all together until you have a nice smooth marinade.

* Add the paneer cubes, peppers and onions to the bowl.

* Using a spatula toss everything together until the paneer and the vegetables are well coated with the marinade mixture. Cover and refrigerate for minimum of 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

* Meanwhile add 1/2 cup of marinara sauce (any bottled sauce would do) to a pan and put in on heat. Add cardamom powder, garam masala, red chili powder, kasuri methi and butter to it and stir until the butter melts and everything is well combined.

* Remove the pan from heat and set aside. Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 450 F degrees.

* After 30 minutes are up, remove the paneer marinade from the refrigerator. Now, take one naan (this is a medium size naan, around 8-10 inches in length and 5-6 inches wide) and spread around 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of the naan. I usually leave 1/2-1 inch on the side while spreading the sauce.

* Then top with cheese, around 1/4 cup shredded cheese or as much as you like.

* And then place the marinated paneer, pepper and onions on top of the cheese. Place the naan on to a baking sheet (if using aluminum foil, make sure to grease the foil a little with oil before placing the naan).

* Bake at 450 F degrees for 9 to 10 minutes and then broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes (this is optional, broil if you want the cheese and paneer to brown up a little).

* Remove the paneer tikka naan pizza from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then remove from pan and transfer on to the serving plate. Drizzle with cilantro chutney and serve!