Grilled (BBQ) Paneer Pizza

Pizza and Paneer are two favorites with Indians around the world, but after Arti Sequeria, the winner of the Next Food Network Star prepared a Mango Chutney Paneer Pizza for her final challenge, it has become a sensation overnight! I have already received 4 requests after the show to post this recipe, so here it is – the recipe for Tandoori Paneer Pizza. It might not be as great as Aarti’s, but hey, she started out as a food blogger too! And in fact, I already have a recipe for Paneer Tikka with Mango Sauce on my blog, so I guess I have a shot at becoming the next FN Star!!:)

Anyways, jokes apart, as the grilling season is on, I thought of baking bbq Pizza topped with Marinated Paneer and other vegetables.

If you want to stick to authentic recipe, you should grill the paneer on a barbecue and also bake the pizza on the grill. But these days, time is a luxury, especially for a mom who has to run around her toddler:) So I have included the traditional bake-in-the-oven method too. Perfecting the marinade is the key, because that’s what going to bring the WOW factor in the final product. This time, I just used a Pillsbury ready-to-roll Pizza dough, but I have baked my crust before, and I have included a recipe if you want to make your own Pizza dough. Feel free to add toppings of your choice – after all, Pizza has to be a family-friendly meal!

Grilled (BBQ) Tandoori Paneer Pizza

Ingredients
Makes one large pizza

1 large Pizza base – precooked or (make your own pizza base)
2 cups Paneer (cubed into small pieces)
1 medium onion – chopped finely
1 medium green bell pepper – chopped fine
1/4 cup corn kernels – thawed or fresh
few chopped pineapples – cubed
few jalapeno rings – chopped
3 tbsp Pizza Sauce
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend

For the Marinade
3 tbsp Curd
1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
1 1/2 tsp Tandoori masala powder
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Dry basil leaves (flakes)
Salt to taste

Method
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade. Toss the paneer cubes into the marinade and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. you can prepare your pizza base during this time, in case you decide to make your own pizza dough.

Take 1 tbsp olive oil in a wok. Toss in the chopped onions, bell peppers and jalapeno rings. Saute for about a minute, then add the marinated paneer cubes to this wok. mix everything well and add salt to suit your taste. remove from flame and keep aside.

Grilling the Pizza
Fire up the grill, or turn it to high if using a gas grill. Make sure the grill is really hot.

Roll out your dough on a pizza sheet, a thinner crust is better for a grilled pizza, then dust it with some cornmeal on the top, and put the cornmeal side onto the grill. As the dough heats up, it may start to how some bubbles on the top. “Pop” the bubbles with a fork and let the base cook until it is firm and starts to turn golden brown in color.

Remove the dough from the grill and flip it over on your floured table, cooked side up. Carefully coat the top of the dough with olive oil, then complete with the Pizza sauce, the tandoori paneer mixture, all the remaining toppings and cheese.

Slide a floured peel or spatula under your pizza and place it on the grill. Cover the grill immediately. Monitor the dough every few minutes to make sure it is not getting over cooked! As your toppings are semi-cooked on the stove, it should not take long for the dough and the toppings to finish cooking, around 10 minutes at the most. As soon as the edges turn brown and hard and all the cheese melts, your Grilled Pizza is ready!

Alternate Method – Baking the Pizza
Take your pre-cooked pizza base. Layer it with pizza sauce, followed by a layer of the 4-cheese blend. Then evenly spread the Paneer mixture. Add the corn kernels, pineapple cubes and top it with the Mozzarella cheese. Bake the pizza in a pre-heated oven at 350 F for about 20-25 minutes. Check after 20 minutes to see if the cheese has melted and the edges and bottom of the base looks crisp and golden in color.

Switch off the oven, let the pizza cool for 5 mins on a wire rack. Then use a pizza cutter to slice your creation and serve immediately.

This is a lovely recipe that makes a spicy and tasty pizza that will invigorate your taste-buds. Bake this for your next bbq gathering or game-night event and you’ll have guests licking out of their plates!

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Best Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
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Mexican Pizza – Quick Appetizer Recipe
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