Paneer Tikka Masala Naanza

I can almost imagine this dish showing up on an Indian version of the CopyKat Recipes website the kind that recreates popular dishes from well-known restaurants (even if I do say so myself).

This recipe was inspired by a food-court style restaurant called Eatopia at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. We had just returned from a whirlwind yet memorable family trip to Rajasthan, Agra, and Delhi, in that order. Along with breathtaking sights and iconic monuments, the trip was also meant to be a food-focused adventure — a true gastronomic experience.

While seven days wasn’t nearly enough to sample everything North India has to offer (especially with a tight schedule and a few inevitable Delhi bellies), we did manage to squeeze in some memorable food experiences, which I’ll save for another post.

Eatopia ended up being our final food stop in Delhi. It offers decent food at affordable prices and a wide variety of cuisines — Nepali, Indo-Chinese, pizza, street food and chaat, Punjabi dhaba fare, and more. It’s a great spot if you’re short on time and want a broad sampling of what Delhi’s food scene has to offer — well, almost.

This particular entrée stood out for its flavor and uniqueness. An Indian-inspired pizza — or rather, naan — slathered with tikka masala, topped with chunks of paneer and melted cheese. The tikka masala was so rich and distinctive, a refreshing alternative to the usual tomato-basil pizza sauce, that it left me wanting to lick the masala off the naan with my fingers.

Of course, I never got a second slice. Our ravenous tween and teen companions (my son and nephew) polished it off before we could even say “please.”

So what is it exactly — a naan, a pizza, a Nizza? The original name was Naanza, so Naanza it is. A perfect name for a naan-based pizza. A Paneer Tikka Masala Naanza.

Fast forward to last weekend, when we were debating dinner ideas. Weekend meals in our house can be complicated — Girish usually wants Indian food after a week of travel and greasy restaurant meals, while Nikhil often craves something hovering between an enchilada, burrito, or pizza. We finally agreed on the Naanza: a pizza with a distinctly Indian twist.

Ingredients

(Serves 5)

For the Tikka Masala Paste

(Sanjeev Kapoor recipe adapted from Indian Healthy Recipes)

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1–2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2–3 cloves
• 2–3 green or black cardamom (black cardamom preferred for deeper flavor)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onions (about 1 medium red onion)
• 2–3 green chilies, slit or crushed
• 1/2 can tomato paste (original recipe uses fresh tomato purée, which works too)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1–2 tsp olive oil
• 1–2 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1/4 cup cashew paste (soak 1/4 cup raw cashews in 1/2 cup water for 30–60 minutes, then blend smooth)

Other Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups paneer, cut into 1/2–1 inch cubes
• 5 tandoori naans (store-bought or homemade; frozen works too)
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Method

For the Tikka Masala Paste

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai.

2. Add cumin seeds; once they sizzle, add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Sauté for about 2 minutes until lightly browned.

3. Add chopped onions and green chilies. Cook until the onions turn golden brown.

4. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.

5. Add tomato paste and red chili powder. Cook for 3–5 minutes.

6. Add about 1/4 cup water, kasuri methi, and garam masala. Cook for another 3–5 minutes.

7. Stir in the cashew paste and cook until the mixture begins to boil.

8. Continue cooking until the gravy thickens into a paste-like consistency. The mixture should not be watery, or it won’t adhere well to the naan. Adjust water carefully.

9. Add half of the paneer cubes to the paste and set aside. This allows the paneer to absorb the tikka masala flavors.

10. You may also substitute this with my earlier paneer no-butter masala recipe. I tried this Sanjeev Kapoor version for variety (and a bit of licking off the spoon), but either works well.

For the Naanza

1. Preheat the oven to 375–400°F (190–200°C).

2. Lightly grease and flour a pizza tray, or preheat a pizza stone for about 10 minutes.

3. Using a blunt knife, spread the tikka masala paste evenly over each naan base.

4. Add paneer cubes soaked in the masala, along with a few fresh paneer cubes for balance.

5. Top with grated mozzarella, chopped cilantro, and optional crushed green chilies for extra heat.

6. Bake on the pizza stone or tray for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese melts and the base is lightly browned. Since the naan is already cooked, baking time is minimal.

Verdict

This came remarkably close to the Eatopia version. Finger-licking good, with bonus points for the incredible aroma of tikka masala wafting through the kitchen as it baked.

I’m still experimenting with the best cheese options available in Singapore. I used Indian mozzarella this time, and while it worked, I’d probably switch to regular American-style grated mozzarella next time for that classic gooey pizza texture. I also tried grated Amul cheese, which didn’t quite give the right consistency.

That said, this Naanza is definitely going into our regular dinner rotation.