From Naan to Pizza - A Perfect Blend of Tradition and Innovation

Hello Local Guides Family,

When the word “pizza” comes up, Italy often comes to mind, along with thoughts of dough made from yeast and flour, delicious toppings of melting cheese, tender Meat, and other yummy stuff.

But, in recent times, numerous countries have begun exploring new experiments with pizza, aiming to enhance its innovation and delectability according to their local culture, taste buds, and preferences.

In South Asia, particularly in India, Bangladesh & Pakistan, the local population has a strong affinity for Roti or Tandoori Naan as their primary meal staple. If you are not familiar with South Asian cuisine, you might wonder what exactly Roti and Tandoori Naan are.

Roti, a type of flatbread, is created using whole wheat flour without any leavening agents. It is a light and simple bread that accompanies various dishes such as vegetables, lentils, or meat preparations. In contrast, naan is a leavened flatbread known for its richer texture and weightiness compared to roti. Naan often contains flavorful fillings and is commonly enjoyed at home, starting from parathas for breakfast to naans for dinner. It is a versatile bread that pairs well with a wide range of gravies, whether veg or non-veg.

And when I’m talking about my daily meal routine, I can say “I never feel satisfied with my meal if there is No Roti at my home’s dining Table” So my mom always takes care of it :heart_eyes:

Currently, in Pakistan, there is a prevailing trend where numerous restaurants and pizza shops are offering a unique culinary creation known as Naan Pizza. Yes, you read that correctly - Naan Pizza :blush:

Recently I visited a restaurant called Naan Stop in Karachi because I heard a lot about the innovation in Pizza by them.

Before going there, I was wondering how they put authentic pizza toppings on a Naan which we usually use with gravy.

But, upon my visit and tasting of Naan Pizza, I was truly amazed. This innovative twist on traditional pizza utilizes naan bread as the base instead of the usual dough. Referred to as Tandoori pizza, it’s cooked in a tandoor, (a traditional clay oven) commonly used in South Asian cuisine.

The flavor of Naan Pizza that I liked the most at Naan Stop was Tandoori Pizza. Their Tandoori pizza boasts a delightfully crispy crust and imparts a smoky flavor that sets it apart from conventional pizza. At Naan Stop, a variety of toppings are offered for their Tandoori pizza, including spicy kababs, mozzarella cheese, peppers, mushrooms, red onions, and more. These toppings are generously spread over the naan bread, resulting in a satisfying and substantial meal.

I was also taken aback when I perused the pizza flavors on the menu, which included Chicken Tikka Pizza, Bihari Kabab Pizza, Malai Boti Pizza, Afghani Kabab Pizza, Turkish Kabab Pizza, and Tandoori Tikka Pizza. :grinning: It almost feels like there may be someday when we hear about Biryani Pizza, Qorma Pizza, or Nihari Pizza from restaurants like Naan Stop. :smile:

The prices of Naan Pizza in Karachi are cheaper than famous brands or I can say multinational franchise restaurants.

For example, a 10" Pizza costs Domino’s pizza at Rs.2000 PKR (6.5 USD) but the price of Naan Pizza is almost half Rs.1000 PKR (3USD).

One more thing which is appreciable about the restaurant where I visited to explore a new kind of Pizza “Naan Pizza” for me.

This place is :wheelchair: Accessibility-friendly because there isn’t any step at the entrance of the restaurant, so people with different abilities can move and enter easily to the restaurant.

37 Likes

@DrFoodieOfficial Thanks for the post.

1 Like

বাহ পিৎজা নিয়ে সাম্প্রতিক বেশ কিছু পোস্ট হয়েছে @SholaIB আপনি কি @DrFoodieOfficial র সাথে চ্যালেঞ্জ নিবেন নাকি?

আমরা আরোও চমৎকার সুস্বাদু রেসিপি র পিৎজা দেখতে চাই।

1 Like

Hello @DrFoodieOfficial ,

this is very interesting and great! :blush: :pizza:

Thank you very much for explaining us about the different kinds of bread and also for sharing informations about this restaurant where they mix Tandoori Naan with Pizza (Tandoori Naan Pizza). :pizza:

This looks very delicious! :blush: :sparkles:

And all your photos are very amazing. :star_struck: :sparkles: :pizza:

I wish you a great day! :blush:

Many warm greetings to you from Hamburg, Germany! :grinning: :star2: :de:

2 Likes

Hi @DrFoodieOfficial

Nice to see there is a restaurant for this kind of simple pizza! Indeed this is what I make whenever I have no time to cook perfectly. I just add pizza materials to the bread (especially rounded Barbari Bread) and put it in the microwave oven. Only in 2-3 minutes, the pizza is ready.

We in Iran say Naan to the bread in general. As I see the Roti is similar to our Taftoon bread and Tandori is much like a pancake or crepe.

Anyway, this kind of pizza is delicious and quick enough to be a suitable choice in some situations.

1 Like

Beautifully written post @DrFoodieOfficial

Thanks for sharing about trend of Naan Pizza in Pakistan.

I also like Naan pizza but not more than Dominos Hand toast pizzas :smile:

But you are right, it’s almost in half price if we compare with dominos to Naan Pizza.

1 Like

@SanjayBDLG I always try to post such content which may interesting for others :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Thanks for liking it :pray: :heart:

1 Like

@MohammadPalash although I am unable to read Bangali Language but I used Google Translator to make me understand :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Sure, I will share more recipes like this :v:

1 Like

@ChiaraMariaC thank you so much for such detail comment after reading the whole post :pray: :heart:

and thank you as well for liking this post & photos :pray:

I will share more interesting recipes like this in future.

1 Like

You’re most welcome, @DrFoodieOfficial ! :blush: :bouquet:

I very appreciate your kind reply! :blush: :bouquet:

I wish you a great weekend! :grinning:

Many warm greetings to you from Hamburg, Germany! :grinning: :star2: :de:

@Amiran you are absolutely correct that it’s really easy to make in a short time. I really glad to know that you can make it in Iran. Means this product get an International standard :sweat_smile:

Well thank you so much for you comment and showing your love by liking this post :heart: :pray:

1 Like

@KashifMisidia bhai thank you so much for liking this post :heart: :pray:

Price is such a main factor to grow this Naan Pizza so rapidly in Pakistan. People love to eat it and its cost not demage them hugely.

Insha Allah we’ll make a plan to try it together :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :v:

1 Like

@ChiaraMariaC again thank you for such appreciation :heart: :pray:

1 Like

You’re most welcome, @DrFoodieOfficial ! :star_struck: :bouquet: :star2:

I wish you a great weekend! :blush: :sunglasses:

Many warm greetings to you from Hamburg, Germany! :grinning: :star2: :de:

1 Like