Every day in the kitchen is a lesson in adaptability. Today, I was all set to bake my signature Chicken Tikka Pizza, but when I turned toward my Gas Oven, I realized it had gathered quite a bit of dust from being tucked away for a while.
Time was against me. I knew that a deep clean would be a long, tedious process, and I didn’t want to lose my momentum. I decided right then: “I’ll handle the deep cleaning later; right now, I need a solution!”
That’s when it hit me—why not use the Tawa on my stovetop? After all, stovetop baking is an authentic, time-tested method. I quickly set the Tawa over the gas flame, calibrated the heat, and started cooking.
The result? Absolutely incredible! The crust was perfectly crispy, the cheese melted beautifully, and the flavors were spot on. It was a reminder that you don’t always need high-end gadgets to create something wonderful—sometimes, a little bit of intuition and a simple Tawa are all you need for a masterpiece.
I inspired the food channel of Kun Food tawa pizza video. So i follow his recipe.
I've tested every step to ensure your stovetop pizza is better than a restaurant's
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- 1. The Science of the Dough (The Foundation)
- To get that professional, airy texture, we must hydrate the flour correctly (1kg flour to approx 600 ml total liquid).
- Activation: In a small bowl, combine lukewarm Water (2.5 cups), Sugar (1.5 tsp), and Dry Yeast (1 tsp). Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes frothy. This proves your yeast is alive.
- Mixing: In a large bowl, sift the All-purpose Flour (1 kg ) and Salt (1 tsp). Create a well in the center and add the Egg, Oil (60 ml ), Milk (60 ml ), and the yeast mixture.
- Kneading: Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes (or use a stand mixer) until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the "windowpane test.
- First Proof: Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1.5 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- 2. The Professional Chicken Prep (The Flavor)
- The Acid Wash: Mix the Boneless Chicken (1 kg ) with Salt ( 1 tsp) and Vinegar ( 4 tbs). Let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water. This removes any "meaty" smell and tenderizes the fibers.
- Marination: Pat the chicken dry. Rub in Salt ( 1 tsp), Crushed Chilli Flakes ( 1.5 tsp), and Tikka Masala (1 tsp).
- The Sear: Heat Oil ( 4 tbs) in a pan over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until the edges are golden. Stir in Chilli Sauce ( 2 tbs) and cook until the moisture evaporates, leaving a thick glaze on the meat. Set aside to cool.
- Take your risen dough and divide it into small balls (about 150g–200g each).
- Roll the dough into a circle, keeping it slightly thinner than a standard oven pizza. Since a Tawa cooks from the bottom up, a thinner crust ensures the center is fully cooked before the bottom burns.
- Pro Tip: Use a fork to "dock" (prick holes) all over the surface of the rolled dough. This prevents the pizza from puffing up like a roti.
- Pre-Cooking the Base
- Heat your Tawa (heavy griddle) on medium-low heat.
- Place the rolled dough on the dry Tawa. Cook for about 1–2 minutes until you see small bubbles on the top and the bottom is barely firm.
- Flip the base over. Turn the heat to the lowest setting.
- Strategic Layering
- Sauce & Chicken: Quickly spread your sauce, then add a generous layer of your prepared Tikka Chicken and Veggies.
- Cheese: Sprinkle your cheese over the top.
- The Seal: To melt the cheese without an overhead broiler, you must create a "mini-oven." Cover the Tawa with a large, deep lid (a steel basin or parat works best). This traps the steam and heat, melting the cheese perfectly.
- The Final Crisp
- Cook on low heat for 5–7 minutes.
- If the cheese is melted but you want a crispier bottom, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium for the last 30 seconds.
- Fusion Touch: Brush the edges of the crust with a little bit of the leftover Oil/Chilli Sauce from the chicken for a beautiful golden color and extra spice.
