Food talk
 Drool over this healthy pizza 

There is an old saying ‘Ghar ki murgi daal barabar!’ encapsulating the traditional wisdom that however delicious a home-made dish may be, it is undervalued and pales before stuff from an eatery. The discerning traveller demands and gets home-style food, ghar ka khana, even at five-star hotels but kids are ensnared by well-advertised junk food. Burgers and pizzas, along with oodles of two-minute masala noodles make their edible wishlist. For long we have grappled with this problem at home. Our little grandchild tells us, sporting a grave look, "This is not junk food for children. It’s only bad for old people like you!" We felt helpless till reminded of another old saying, "If you can’t lick them join them!" Ghar ka pizza was born in a last-ditch battle to serve the little devils what they love but in a more nutritious version. Help the kids assemble it and they will soon stop pestering you to order from the nearest outlet, promising delivery in a jiffy or your money back. We must confess, that we have yet to convince the pesky child that this pizza is equally good for her and us.

Ghar ka pizza

Ingredients

Pizza bases (bought from the bakery) One to two

Tomato puree mixed with 2 tsp tomato sauce 4-6 tbsp

Sweet corn kernels (steamed lightly 100 g

Medium-sized carrot (grated, washed and scraped) One

French beans (tender ones, diced) 100 g

Small sweet bell pepper or capsicum

(cored, quartered and cut in bite-sized pieces) One

Button mushrooms (cleaned well with moist cloth and sliced) 50 g

Nutrinuggets (soya based) Half cup

Cheese slices 2-4

Grated processed cheese 3 tbsp

Mustard paste (optional) 2 tbsp

Mixed dried herbs 1 tsp

Chilly flakes (optional)

Freshly ground peppercorns

Method

Place the pizza bases on a platter and line them with a generous layer of tomato puree and sauce. Then divide the ‘topping’ equally and arrange on this surface, ensuring that the ingredients are distributed evenly. Finally, place the sliced cheese on top. Place on a lightly greased baking dish and cook on a pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes till the cheese melts and the veggies are ‘cooked’ a beautiful brown! Remove carefully from the oven and sprinkle the mixed herbs, seasoning and chilly flakes and peppercorn, if using them. Ghar ka pizza bazaar ki murgi ka baap!

 



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