HOMEMADE DRIED FISH PIZZA THE NAIJA WAY

 

How to make homemade dried fish pizza

When I see women enjoying some free time while house helps and other people cook the meals, I envy them because I cook a lot. My family thinks it’s because I enjoy cooking and I keep telling them that is not true. Even when you enjoy doing something, there comes a time you feel tired, feel exhausted and want a little break. If no break comes, if you cannot find time to stay away from what you love, you begin to do it as work and that can take away the pleasure. I remind them that the fact the I love to cook doesn’t mean that I don’t get tired sometimes. I do.

Despite loving to cook, there are times I wish someone will just takeover the cooking and try to replicate my recipe instead of showing off their own because that’s what they like to do here.

When I ask my girls to cook, they’d rather try to show off their skills by telling me that they can cook better and at the end of the cooking… we just enjoy it like that jor. Any how is a recipe!

What they do after trying to outdo me in the kitchen is watch me closely. In their minds, it’s like…”Mommy will take a little to taste and nimpress us but won’t take anymore” So, they make sure I eat whatever they cook to my fill even if it’s their ‘signature’ delicious recipe, Lol!

WHY WE ADAPT (MAKE COVERS OF) SOME RECIPES

In addition to being particular with food taste, some of us with strong sense of smells can just get turned off and lose appetite once we taste and realize that a particular ingredient has overpowered the rest, for example, too much garlic in food is something I haven’t found a way to tolerate. Even chicken that we love so much,

once  I take a bite and taste the strong garlic taste, that’s it.

 

 

ADVENTUROUS TASTE BUDS

Honestly, I wish to be able to just eat anything and enjoy like we see Chef Ramsay and other food judges do.

We watch Knorr Taste quest and see judges enjoying what looks ‘awesome’ on screen and one day I hope to be able to enjoy any food presented before now. In the meantime, will just continue with my awkward particularity when it comes to different cuisines.

Nigerians who enjoy onion soup always have my respect. It’s a Chinese cuisine, tastes different from what we grew up eating  but you see Native Nigerians at a Chinese restaurant ordering Chinese soup. One day, just one day, my taste buds will adjust.

For, now I’ll try my best to adjust some ingredients to what my digestive system loves to eat. So, Pizza is originally not a Nigerian recipe but we have found ways to infuse our ingredients and make it Nigerian.

Don’t you just love Nigerians? we are so talented in this area. We make sure that no good food escapes our kitchens. If we cannot eat it we adapt.

This dried catfish pizza recipe as well as the others on the blog, like suya pizza, fresh fish pizza, sardine pizza, and others were born because we love Pizza and would do anything to make our taste buds enjoy it.

There are a lot more wrapped in my sleeves to be released once I test and enjoy the flavours.

Enjoy this dried fish pizza infused with that delicious dried fish taste that we all love to add to our Nigerian recipes. If you love Nigerian food, then, you’d want to try this pizza and your kids will thank you for it.

They love it. The fish is just one, doesn’t overpower other ingredients. They all blend together with the tomatoes to deliver yumminess.

INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE DRIED FISH PIZZA

I used for the dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups warm water (200 ml)

FOR THE HOMEMADE RICH PIZZA SAUCE

 

I used…

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium sized red onion

One medium sized green bell pepper

1 seasoning cube (You can use any bouillon cube of choice)

3 ripe tomatoes

5 ripe scotch bonnet peppers without seeds (You are free to add seeds)

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup ( For mayo and ketchup, I like Heinz products)

1/2 deboned dried fish

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Salt to taste

 

FOR THE DRIED FISH PIZZA TOPPING

1 chicken frank (Small sausage also called hot dog in Nigeria)

Cheddar cheese. Use to satisfaction. I used little.

1/2 Deboned dried fish

Before you make this pizza, it’s advisable to get all the ingredients ready and waiting…

Wash and chop the vegetables

Wash and de-bone the dried fish

Measure the other  ingredients and set all aside.

TO MAKE OUR NUTRITIOUS PIZZA SAUCE

 

 

1. Stir fry onion, green pepper, ata rodo (scotch bonnets) and seasoning cube in the vegetable oil for one minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, stir for one minute before adding half of  your deboned fish particles.
3. Add the thyme and oregano and mix well. 

    

4. After thyme and oregano, add the mayonnaise and stir before adding the tomato ketchup.
5. Stir and check for salt. There may not be any need for salt but if there is, you can adjust by adding a little pinch of salt. Check for taste and turn off the heat. Now Set aside ad go over to the dough…. To add this sauce and continue…

 

DRIED FISH PIZZA PROCEDURE AFTER MAKING THE SAUCE

1. Sieve  all the dough ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
2. Add the water and mix, then knead for about a minute
3. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes while you perhaps make the pizza sauce or just sip a chill drink.
4. After 10 minutes, roll out the dough to desired shape.
5. Spread ketchup
6. Add my homemade pizza sauce
7. Next is the topping; the sausages, cheese and dried fish tiny particles.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes or till you are satisfied with the baked pizza. I baked in the pizza oven for 13 minutes.
9. Cut and serve hot! It’s delicious, try it again!

 

This delicious fish pizza is great for those who cannot eat meat. Fish pizza is nutritious and very good for the heart. Depending on the type of fish used. This fish pizza can add many great nutrients including Omega 3 to the body.