Spicy, Hot Roast Chicken Pizza

Spicy, Hot Roast Chicken Pizza

This is a hot and spicy pizza. This is not for the faint-hearted. It will be very tasty for spice lovers. You may have a glass of chilled lime juice to sooth your tongue while eating. A glass of chilled beer will also be good.

                                  Recipe summary
                                            For
                           Spicy, Hot Roast Chicken Pizza

Preparation time :30 minutes ( Excluding the making of pizza base)

Cooking Time: 40 minutes.

Serves : 4

Preparation
1. Pull the chicken with a fork into bite size shreds and set aside.

Ingredients

2. Boil 150 grams potatoes. when it is cooled  Peel the skin and slice into ½ inch size pieces. Add ½ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of salt and toss to coat the potatoes well.  Set it aside.

3. Coat 75 grams  onion slices also with the same amount of salt and  ½ teaspoon of chili powder. Set it also aside.

Method

4. In a large frying pan or a wok add 3 tablespoon of oil and put it on low heat. When the oil becomes hot add 30 grams  leek pieces and fry for 2 minutes. 

5. Now add coated onion  and continue frying for about 8 minutes. Continue to stir while frying. Add 3 cloves garlic cut small.

6. Now add 200 grams roasted and shredded chicken and continue frying and stirring.

7. Now add the potato pieces and continue frying for another 10 minutes.

8. Spread ¼ cup tomato puree  on the pizza base ( see my recipe) that has been baked for 8 minutes and spread the cooked chicken. 

Garnish with the 1 green chili  and 1 red chili chili slices.

The pizza is ready. If you don’t like it, you can discard the chili slices before eating. If you like you can sprinkle cheese over the chicken mixture and arrange the chilli slices.It will be yummy.

If you add raw chili powder in your cooking, try to cook at least for 10 minutes to get rid of the raw smell and the bite of the chili powder. This will not be necessary if you are accustomed to taking spicy food.

Spicy, Hot Roast Chicken Pizza is ready.
                                  

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

                                    
Preparation time :30 minutes ( Excluding the making of pizza base)
Cooking Time: 40 minutes.
Serves : 4

Ingredients

Ingredients for Spicy, Hot Roast Chicken Pizza

1 pizza base (see my recipe)

¼ cup tomato puree (see my recipe)   

200 grams roast chicken

75 grams onion sliced lengthwise

30 grams leeks

3 cloves garlic thinly sliced

3 (150) grams potato?

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 green chili to garnish

1 red chili to garnish

3 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Onion marinated with chili powder and salt

Preparation

Pull the chicken with a fork into bite size shreds and set aside.

Roast chicken

In a saucepan add the potatoes. Add water to cover the potatoes. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to low and cook covered for about 30 minutes. Boiling time varies according to the type of potato. When it is well cooked, a fork will easily pass through the surface of the potato. It may take up to 45 minutes for some types of potatoes.

Roast chicken pulled

If microwaving, add potato and 3 tablespoons of water to a microwaveable dish. Run on high for 2 minutes and turn the potatoes once. Run the microwave again for 2 minutes. If the potatoes are not soft repeat the process once again. By now it should be cooked well.

Potato boiled and sliced

Let the potatoes cool to room temperature. Peel the skin and slice into ½ inch size pieces. Add ½ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of salt and toss to coat the potatoes well. With gloves you can use your hand also to mix the potato pieces with salt and chili powder. Set it aside.

boiled potato pieces marinated with salt and chili powder

Coat the onion slices also with the same amount of salt and chili powder. Set it also aside.

We start with frying of leek slices

Method

In a large frying pan or a wok add 3 tablespoon of oil and put it on low heat. When the oil becomes hot add the leek pieces and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the coated onion slices and continue frying for about 8 minutes. Continue to stir while frying.

Now we add the onion

Now add the shredded chicken and continue frying and stirring.

Now add the potato pieces and continue frying for another 10 minutes. Add garlic and fry.

Onion is cooked adequately

If the pan is dry you may add a tablespoon of water or oil.

By now all the ingredients will be well cooked.

We add the pulled chicken

Spread tomato sauce on the pizza base that has been baked for 8 minutes and spread the cooked chicken. 

Chicken is cooked adequately

Garnish with the chili slices.

The pizza is ready. If you don’t like it, you can discard the chili slices before eating. If you like you can sprinkle cheese over the chicken mixture and arrange the chilli slices.It will be yummy.

Finally we add the potatoes

Tip

If you add raw chili powder in your cooking, try to cook at least for 10 minutes to get rid of the raw smell and the bite of the chili powder. This will not be necessary if you are accustomed to taking spicy food.

Now every thing is cooked well

Sweet Potato Pizza

This pizza recipe does not use sweet potato as a topping but incorporates sweet potato in the base. That means we will incorporate the sweet potato into the dough.

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into thick slices. Boil them till they become soft. Use a hand blender to mash them.

Sweet potato pizza

If you are following my recipe for making the pizza base, at step 3 add the mashed sweet potato 

Frozen Pizza Dough made previously

Dough before adding sweet potato

Complete the pizza base according to the recipe.

Japanese sweet potato

Assembling the toppings

After your pizza base comes out of the oven baked for 10 minutes at 210°C  you can put the toppings.

Arrange the fried onion, fried shrimps, asparagus spears, cherry tomato, peas and cheese attractively. Bake for  8 minutes.That is it.

Dough incorporating boiled sweet potato

This pizza recipe does not use sweet potato as a topping but incorporates sweet potato in the base. That means we will incorporate the sweet potato into the dough.

                                   Recipe summary
                                              For
                                  Sweet potato pizza

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves : 4


Preparation of toppings
1. Coat  shrimps with ¼ teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder and 1/8 teaspoon chili powder and leave the shrimps in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Ingredients for Sweet potato pizza

2. Coat 2 medium onions sliced thin lengthwise with 1/8 teaspoon chili powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set it aside in a colander for 20 minutes. The salt will make the onion to ooze out water which will also take away some of the spices added to the onion. It does not matter.

 Do not discard the remaining oil. You can use it for frying shrimps. Add 3 table spoons of vegetable oil add the marinated shrimps from the refrigerator.

4. Put the asparagus in a microwaveable dish add 1 table spoon of water and cover it with a lid. Microwave it for 2 minutes. If you are not using a microwave, add water to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. When the water is at boiling point put the asparagus spears in and reduce the heat and leave it for one minute and drain the asparagus and let it dry.

Preparation pf pizza

1. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into thick slices. Boil them till they become soft. Use a hand blender to mash them.
If you are following my recipe for making the pizza base, at step 3 add the mashed sweet potato. 

Sweet potato pizza

2. After your pizza base comes out of the oven baked for 10 minutes at 210°C  you can put the toppings.

3. Arrange the fried onion, fried shrimps, 100 grams asparagus spears, 50 grams cherry tomato, 100 grams peas and 75 grams grated mozzarella cheese attractively. Bake for  8 minutes.That is it.
                                  
Sweet potato pizza is ready.

                       Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves : 4

Shrimps with marinade

Ingredients for the topping

Ingredients for Sweet potato pizza

                                                                     

100 grams peas

100 grams asparagus

50 grams cherry tomato

75 grams grated mozzarella cheese

Shrimps

Fried shrimps

200 grams shrimps shelled

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon pepper powder

¼ teaspoon of salt

2 table spoon of vegetable oil

To marinate, coat the shrimps with salt, turmeric powder and pepper powder and chili powder and leave the shrimps in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Onion Fry

Sliced onion ready for frying

2 medium onions sliced thin lengthwise

¹/₈ teaspoon of salt

¹/₈ teaspoon chili powder

3 tablespoon of oil

Fried onion

Method

Coat the onion with chili powder and salt. Set it aside in a colander for 20 minutes. The salt will make the onion to ooze out water which will also take away some of the spices added to the onion. It does not matter.

Heat a medium sized saucepan or a wok and add oil and wait till the oil becomes hot. Add the marinated onions and lower the heat. Fry the onion in very low heat. It will become translucent and then it will become golden in colour. Continue cooking till the onions turn brown and when it becomes dark brown take the pan from the heat. We do not want to get the onion caramelized. This process will take up to 20 minutes. Do not increase the heat to fry faster.

Assembled pizza ready for baking

Drain out the fried onion and set it aside.

Do not discard the remaining oil. You can use it for frying shrimps. Wonderful aroma from the oil will be passed on to the shrimps. Add 3 table spoons of vegetable oil to the pan and heat it up. When the oil is hot add the marinated shrimps from the refrigerator and add to the pan. Be careful and use a splash guard. Fry till it becomes golden in color. Now the shrimp is done.

Asparagus

Put the asparagus in a microwaveable dish add 1 table spoon of water and cover it with a lid. Microwave it for 2 minutes. If you are not using a microwave, add water to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. When the water is at boiling point put the asparagus spears in and reduce the heat and leave it for one minute and drain the asparagus and let it dry.

Supper Vegetable Pizza

Vegetable pizzas can be made with many kinds of vegetables, the vegetables you like and the way you like.                                                           

Super Vegetable Pizza

      

There is no hard and fast rule to make a pizza. Vegetables are used as toppings or combined with the dough as pizza base or pureed to spread on top of the base.

I used broccoli, mushroom and tomato which fall into a group called  supper vegetables as toppings in my supper vegetable pizza. The pizza is colourful and looks appetizing and nourishing. It is an easy to make pizza.

                                Recipe summary
                                          For
                           Supper Vegetable Pizza

Preparation Time: 20 minutes (Excluding making the dough)
Cooking Time:   30 minutes 

Serves: 4          


1. Cut one head broccoli into florets and soak in salted water for 15 minutes to kill bacteria and any insects..Drain in a colander. Put the broccoli florets in a ceramic dish add 2 tbsp water, cover the dish and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.

Ingredients

You can also boil the water and  add ½ tsp salt  and blanch the broccoli florets. Dip the florets in a bowl of cold water to prevent any further cooking. While it is still warm add 1 teaspoon of butter and ¼ teaspoon of pepper and mix well. Keep the broccoli florets aside.

2. Wipe 8 shitake mushroom with a wet cloth or paper towel or use a soft brush to wipe away the dirt, remove and discard the hard stem beneath. Cut the mushroom into half. Keep aside. 

3. In a wok add 1 tsp oil and stir fry mushroom for 1 minute add buttered broccoli and remove from fire.

4.Cut 1 big tomato, core the seeds and cut into strips lengthwise.

Method:

  1. Take the partially baked pizza crust which was baked for 10 minutes at 210°C as said in my dough recipe. 

 2. Spoon the tomato puree (see my recipe) and spread all over the crust. 

Final Super Vegetable Pizza

3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan cheese all over. Arrange the broccoli, mushroom and lastly the tomato. Sprinkle cheese.

 I go very easy on cheese but you can add more cheese as it will be delicious.

            Bake for 8 minutes and cut into 6 or eight pieces and serve hot.

Supper Vegetable Pizza is ready.
                                  

                   Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes (Excluding making the dough)
Cooking Time:   30 minutes 
Serves: 4                                                                                                                                                          
                                                               

Ingredients   
Prepare the dough (see my recipe) 
 Prepare your tomato puree(see my recipe)                                                                                            

Pizza base

                                                                                                                                                          

Topping 

             

Tomato puree

  
  

one head broccoli                 

Broccoli

8 shitake mushrooms

1 big tomato

1/4 cup mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Supper Vegetable Pizza

Preparation

                 Cut the broccoli florets and soak in salted water for 15 minutes to kill bacteria and any insects..Drain in a colander. Put the broccoli florets in a ceramic dish add 2 tbsp water, cover the dish and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Please take care when you open the cover. You can also boil the water and  add ½ tsp salt  and blanch the broccoli florets. Dip the florets in a bowl of cold water to prevent any further cooking.. Don’t overcook broccoli as it will become soggy. While it is still warm add 1 teaspoon of butter and ¼  teaspoon of pepper and mix well. Keep the broccoli florets aside.

Ingredients ready for Supper Vegetable Pizza

Wipe mushroom with a wet cloth or paper towel or use a soft brush to wipe away the dirt, remove and discard the hard stem beneath. Cut the mushroom into half. Keep aside. 
If you have to wash do a quick wash and drain in a bed of paper towels. In a wok add 1 tsp oil and stir fry mushroom for 1 minute add buttered broccoli and remove from fire.

Pizza base coated with tomato puree

.

Pizza base with toppings of tomato, broccoli and shitake mushroom

For this recipe cut tomato, core the seeds and cut into strips lengthwise.

Method:

           Take the partially baked pizza crust which was baked for 10 minutes at 210°C as said in my dough recipe.  Spoon the tomato puree (see my recipe) and spread all over the crust. Sprinkle cheese all over. Arrange the broccoli, mushroom and lastly the tomato. Sprinkle cheese. I go very easy on cheese but you can add more cheese as it will be delicious.

            Bake for 8 minutes and cut into 6 or eight pieces and serve hot.

Super Vegetable Pizza after baking

Tip

 When buying broccoli look for a green tightly packed head. Don’t buy yellow colour

 ends and withered. They are old. Broccoli is an easily perishable vegetable which should 

 be used up fast. You can wrap it in a zip locked bag and kept in the top drawer or  

 back end of the top shelf of the fridge. It can be kept for about a week.

When buying mushroom look for plump, fresh mushroom that smells good.. Don’t buy mushroom with black spots, discolored and soggy.

I wrap the mushroom in paper towel and store in a loose plastic bag. It will get moldy when you keep in tight plastic

                                       

When you are buying tomatoes look for a fresh, heavy ones without any soft parts.  Tomatoes can be kept without refrigeration for 2 to 3 days. I buy mostly slightly unripe fruits and place them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator away from hardy vegetables. It will ripen in the fridge and can last for a week but not more than that.  Cut tomato only when you want to use. We cannot keep cut tomato in the fridge. 

Helpful Hints

Here are some useful tips. These are common to all articles. This page will be updated from time to time. Please check in for new helps be viewing this page from time to time.

Excess salt

Salt

If you have accidentally put more salt than what is required adding a tea spoon of vinegar, a tea spoon of sugar, a potato or some starchy items like rice or pasta, will reduce the saltiness of the dish. You can remove the potato, rice or pasta after the cooking. Adding these items will of course slightly alter the taste of whatever you are making but it will be definitely better than being left with a salty dish.

Oxidation

Some fruits and vegetables such as apples, avocados, eggplants, plantains etc will change colour after a few minutes of your cutting them. This happens because the oxygen in the atmosphere reacts with them and makes a chemical change in them. You can add a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of lime juice or vinegar to a glass of water and dip the cut fruits and vegetable in the solution to prevent their discolouration. You can rinse them in cold water before cooking or frying them.

Frying onions

Frying onion

When you are sauteing onions sprinkling a pinch of salt will make the onions to release water and cook faster. Remember to reduce the salt when you are finally adding it.

Curry leaves

curry leaves

I often use curry leaves in my recipes. Fresh curry leaves may not be available in your area. Dried curry leaves or powdered curry leaves can also be used in place of fresh curry leaves. If they are very fresh they can give even more intense flavour than fresh leaves.

You can substitute five curry leaves with one bay leaf one basil leaf or one lime leaf or a pinch of lime or lemon zest.

Dry chilies

Dry chili

I often include dry chilies for tempering. Firstly when you add the dry chilli to the hot oil it will splutter and spray droplets of oil all over and you may hurt yourself in this process. You must always use a splutter guard when frying like this. If you have cough or cold or if you are asthmatic the aroma coming out will irritate your throat and make you cough or sneeze. If you have any of these conditions leave out the dry chilli altogether and it will not make much of a difference.

Tempering

Tempering 

This is an Indian cooking method to extract more flavour from spices by frying the spices in hot oil. Tempering can be done at the start of the cooking or it can be done after the cooking of the dish. For example if you are making two or three curries you can make the tempering and add a spoon full to each of the curry.

Simple tempering often includes cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, chopped onion, garlic, dried red chilies and curry leaves. In more elaborate tempering you will include fennel seeds, fresh green chilies, ginger, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, cloves, urad dal, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon grass, pandan leaves etc

Deep frying

When you put the meat or vegetables in very hot oil, it seals the pores on the surface of the meat or vegetable.  After this initial searing, the meat or vegetable will absorb less oil during the remaining frying process.

Bread

I often say that a dish can be served with rice or bread. By bread, I mean all kinds of breads made out of all kinds of flour and includes traditional and non-traditional breads such as tortilla, chapatti, naan, flat brads, appom, string hoppers etc.

Why I use wok

Sauce pan is equally good as a wok. Non-stick is preferred when we make a dry dish. In a wok the oil or water will run to the center of the bottom and prevent the food from getting burnt. In a sauce pan the liquid may not be sufficient to cover the entire bottom. If you stir frequently is the sauce pan the food will not get burnt.

Ginger garlic paste

Often ginger and garlic are used together but not always. You can make a paste of ginger and garlic in a liquidiser or food processor add two tea spoon of olive oil or sesame oil on top and leave it in the refrigerator. This will save you the trouble of having to peel the garlic and ginger every time you need it. You can also buy garlic and ginger paste in bottle from the super market.

Broken chili

Broken chili can be purchased from store. You can make it by pulsing 3 dry red chilies in a grinder. Broken chili can be roast or raw. You will have to dry roast the chili for about 2 minutes before grinding.

Chinese five spice powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground star anise 

1 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoons black peppercorns  or szechuan peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon of white pepper powder

Garam Masala

Garam masala is a multi spice mix in the form of powder or seeds from Indian stores. This is a versatile spice mix that can be used in many situations with predictable results. Garam masala powder is usually added last.

1 teaspoon ground cumin

 1  tablespoons ground coriander

 1  teaspoon ground cardamom

 1  teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon crushed bay leaves

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

Italian Seasoning Mix

1 tablespoons dried basil

 1 tablespoons dried oregano

 1 tablespoons dried rosemary

 1 tablespoons dried marjoram

 1 tablespoons dried thyme

 1 tablespoons dried sage

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Italian Dressing Mix

1 tablespoon garlic salt

 1 tablespoon onion powder

 1 tablespoon white sugar

 2 tablespoons dried oregano

 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon dried basil

 1 tablespoon dried parsley

 1/4 teaspoon celery salt/ leaves or flakes

 2 tablespoons salt

Is the egg fresh?

Fresh eggs not only taste better but also they brighten up your recipe. It is better to test the egg before making hard boiled eggs.

Mix 2 tablespoon of salt in a glass of water. Place the egg in the glass of water.

If the egg sinks to the bottom and rests on its sides it is fresh and probable less the 5 days old.

If the egg is at the bottom but only the head (the narrow end of the egg) touches the bottom of the glass and the bottom of the egg (the wider end of the egg) floats above the base of the glass. It is probably three weeks old. It may still be consumable.

If the egg floats in the water, it is probably more than 4 weeks old and is state. You must discard this type of egg.

If you are going to break eggs for your preparation, break each egg into a small ball. Have another bigger bowl ready to put the good eggs. If the yolk is flat and the white is watery, it is probably sale discard it. If the yolk and the white are firm and stand up the egg is good. Transfer it to the bigger bowl. If the yolk is broken or cloudy it is stale. Discard it.

All eggs have a small pocket of air at the top. The older the egg bigger will the air pocket. When you hold the egg close to your ear and shake it, if you hear a sound it is probably stale and has a large air pocket.