• New Reader
  • About
    • Introducing Dooney
    • Meet the team
    • Press and Media
    • Work with Us
  • Contact
  • The Tribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Dooney's Kitchen

Promoting and Redefining New Nigerian Food

  • Home
  • Features
    • Announcements
    • Corporate Collaborations
    • Product Reviews
    • Food Blogger Events
    • Business Spotlight
    • Hotel & Restaurant Reviews
    • Fitness and Nutrition
    • Market Reporting
    • Comment’s Policy
    • Copyright & Privacy Policy
  • Tricks & Cheats
    • Kitchen Gadget Tricks
    • How To’s
    • Food Plating Techniques
    • Cooking Video Hacks
  • Meal Planner
    • Meal Planner Archives
    • Hosting Menus
    • Festive Meal Planner
  • Food Diary
    • Dooney’s Food Travels
    • dooney’s shopping list
  • Recipeadia
    • Recipes by Culture
    • Recipe Collections
  • Ingredientspaedia

Nigerian Fusion Cuisine

My Spicy Kilishi and Suya Pizza – food fusion at its finest

Will it be unpatriotic of me to start with the sentence I find Italians totally fascinating? Honestly, I really do. My cousin Adun calls them White Nigerians and I laughingly agree. With keen observation, you can’t help but find some semblance to us, some sort of kindred spirits connection. Here is what I have noticed. No offence to anyone please, this was written to evoke humour.

  • Italians are loud and gregarious just like Nigerians, talking with their hands and fingers gesticulating all over the place.
  • They love good food, they love to party, with lots of loud music and dancing.
  • Might I add that they are also very stylish. Not elegant and sophisticated like the French, but their sense of style is more earthy and in your face, plus they are not ashamed to let you know what they have on is expensive. Seeing a bit of us in them already? Let me continue.
  • Family is very important to Italians, and it is expected that you show up to family gatherings and holiday celebrations to strengthen La Familia. Their gatherings are filled with stories, lots of warm and affectionate hugs, slapping each other on the back, hearty laughter, noisy conversation and general boisterousness. With alcohol flowing freely, bambini’s running all over the place, mounds and mounds of great food being served and no one is watching their waistline. Does that remind you of a Nigerian family gathering? Good.
  • Their men are also famous for their love of women. Errrrr, Nigerian men would you agree in that regards you are kindred spirits? Lol.
  • Italians are also famed for their wild and fiery temper. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of an Italian. Trust me, their temper is legendary. I’ve flat shared with a Sicilian.
  • Their work ethic can be somewhat blasé and laid back. Those who run businesses or work in government establishments in Nigeria are likely to be nodding their heads. I do not mean this to be offensive. Italians love to live life and work is just a means to enjoy life and not your whole life. I picked this comment about their work ethic from alifeinrome.wordpress.com owned by A Canadian blogger living in Italy. “I think the main difference is that your job is not your identity. Nobody ever asks me first, “What do you do?” My job is just a means to make money. Work is not your life”. The phrase La Dolce Vita describes them perfectly. Even early in the morning things start really slow. Try getting anything done between 12 and 2pm and you will be shocked by everything being closed. Or go to a public run establishment shortly before 4pm and the emptiness will remind you of a Ministry in 9ja. I was denied entry into the Roman Forum at 3.45pm because it closed at 4pm, and I thought WHAT!!!. The Eiffel Tower is open till midnight. Lol.
  • “The tendency of Italians to engage in shady and questionable financial practices is well known”. It is an open secret, the corruption in Italy. It just doesn’t get as much press as we do. Let me stop there before The Mafia comes after me. Lol.
  • Their driving and parking habits are veeeeery similar to ours. In their cities, just stop and observe, you will laugh your head off with the comparison to Lagos driving especially a somewhat cavalier attitude about adhering to traffic rules. Take a cab and you are likely to say a prayer at least twice before you arrive at your destination.
  • Their food is an absolute delight, just like ours.
You want more comparisons, read the blog www.alifeinrome.wordpress.com and laugh till your tummy hurts. It could as well be a Canadian blogger writing about life in Lagos.
Comparing Lagos to Rome – my first foray into Italy was the Eternal city of Rome and I went alone. I remember people telling me not to try it due to the unsavoury reputation Nigerian girls have in Italy. I still decided to go as I had just finished Dan Brown’s Angel’s and Demons, so I was itching to go see all the historical places mentioned in the books for myself, the same way I had done for Paris courtesy of The Da Vinci Code. For one week, depsite being on a student budget, I went everywhere in the book and more and I had a blast. I found Rome to be the antithesis of Paris, reminding me of Lagos. It is a city that screams “you are either going to love me or hate me but I won’t pretend or make the effort for you to like me. This is me, I have existed for centuries, pick whatever parts you like about me and make the best of it. If you decide to love me, I will show you a good time. If you just want to complain about what I lack, you will have a miserable time”. Someone tell me that doesn’t remind you of Lagos. Lol.

Making a Nigerian styled Pizza – The inspiration behind this experiment came from ‘Puff Puff’. Italians have their own version called Zeppole. I remember sitting outside a small family run ristorante a few steps from Piazza Navona and the waiter passed by with this plate of what looked like puff puff. I squealed in delight (yes, i love food like that) quickly asking him what that was. Despite finishing off a generous portion of the utmost delicious Lasagne, I asked for Zeppole. The plate arrived with this puff puff that was doused with cinnamon and icing sugar. It was good.

With my humorous opinion of a similarity between Italians and Nigerians, I decided to explore a fusion of food and cultures by creating a Nigerian styled Pizza. I mean, everything on a Pizza, has a possible Nigerian substitute. Funny how no one has thought of doing so before. I have seen a couple of pizza recipes written by Nigerians and it is just a replica of a Western Pizza, nothing indigenously Nigerian. In the spirit of experimenting, I decided to give this a go.

What You Need
Pizza Dough
1kg of ’00′ grade plain flour
a pinch of salt
650ml warm water
2 sachets of dried fast action yeast
1 tablespoon of sugar
4 tablespoons of Olive oil

Ata din din – fried red stew will serve as Pizza Sauce
4 large tomatoes
1 small onion
1 small stump of Ginger
2 pieces of Scotch bonnet pepper
1 Tatashe – red bell pepper
Sunflower oil – use your choice of vegetable oil
For herbs I used Efinrin – scent leaves (substitute with basil)
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 Knorr chicken cubes
Salt

Nigerian Toppings
Kilishi
Goat Meat – cooked
Beef – cooked
Pomo (cow skin) – cooked
Cow Leg – cooked
1 tablespoon Suya spice
1/2 Red onion
Dried chilli flakes – substitute with dry pepper
Wara – local Nigerian cheese (substitute with Indian Paneer/lumpy cottage cheese)
1 piece Ata rodo – scotch bonnet/habanero pepper
2 pieces of Green Shombo – green chilli
Uziza (hot leaf) – another herby addition

A taste of Italy
Mozzarella – what is a pizza without at least one Italian ingredient?

How To

1. You start with the dough first as it will need 45 minutes – 1 hour to rise. ’00′ grade flour is the best for making pastry or pasta. Alternative terms are type 00, Tipo 00 or Pastry flour.

SAM_9552

Sieve the flour into a big bowl and add a pinch of salt.
SAM_9554
In a cup, mix in 650mls of warm water, the yeast, sugar and olive oil.
SAM_9560
Leave for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate, which will cause the solution to turn frothy. It MUST be frothy, if not, this means the yeast is not active. Wait a few more minutes, if nothing changes, I’m afraid you have to dump the mixture and make a fresh batch. Ensure that the water is warm. Not hot (will kill the yeast), not cold (it won’t activate the yeast), but warm.
SAM_9564
Make a well in the flour, add in the frothy yeast mixture and combine with your hands. This is a very sticky dough to start with. Don’t panic. Rinse off your hands, cover the bowl with a moist tea cloth/napkin and leave in a warm place e.g kitchen cupboard to allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour. I found 1 hour to be the better option.
SAM_9565
It should look like this after an hour
SAM_9576
SAM_9581
While the dough is rising, make the ‘Ata din din’. This is the stew commonly served in Nigerian homes. Blend all the fresh pepper ingredients, and boil down till it reduces to half its volume
SAM_9050
Heat up a little olive oil in a pan, add the pepper to the pan plus all the seasonings listed above. Fry the pepper until the oil takes on an orange colour. Fry the stew till it becomes thick.
SAM_9536
Add beef stock or water to dilute it, to take on the consistency of a sauce. Remember, if it’s too watery, it will soak into the dough. If it’s too thick,  it will burn when the pizza bakes. Once it has diluted, add chopped ‘Efinrin’. This will give the sauce an amazing scent. Remember to taste for salt and seasoning cubes. I only had dried efinrin, so I soaked it in hot water, blended it and added to the sauce.
SAM_9540

Now to the toppings.
To prep the ‘Kilishi’, I simply shredded it into bite sized chunks and soaked in 1/4 cup of hot water for hours to soften. It is advisable to do this step hours before you start as Kilishi is very hard like beef jerky and needs a long time to soften.

It will go from this…

SAM_9549

to this…

SAM_9543

Chop the boiled meats, pomo and cowleg into cubes, lay on a baking tray sprinkle over suya spice, chopped red onion, dried chilli flakes (or dry pepper) and a little olive oil.
SAM_9509
SAM_9517
Alternatively you can fry the meats, but grilling is the healthier option.
SAM_9524
Cheese – a very important ingredient in pizza. Of course, we have a local Nigerian cheese called ‘Wara’. It is commonly sold in Kwara State, some parts of Oyo state and in the North. After hundreds of hours of research, I made Wara from scratch. This is proper Wara. If I tell you how I made it, I may just have to kill you. Cottage cheese or Indian Paneer are good substitutes.
SAM_9525
For those who live in Nigeria, and can’t source Wara easily, you can buy cheese at many local supermarkets. You can also make homemade cheese close to Wara in taste and texture. I have a quick and simple recipe (HERE). All you need is milk and vinegar/orange juice (no, this is not what I used to make Wara. Still not telling.
Mozzarella – Pizza without an Italian ingredient at least will be sacrilege against the Italian Culinary gods. Huge culinary sin and I don’t want to offend the Italians. No siree. Besides, Wara doesn’t melt in the stretchy manner common with Mozzarella. Mozzarella tastes a little like Wara anyway so it was a good combination. You need to add grated Mozzarella, therefore place in the freezer to solidify just before you start on your dough, making it easy to grate.
SAM_9569
Now back to the dough. Sprinkle flour over the work surface, and with your floured hands take the dough out of the bowl, and mould into a ball. Knead for a couple of minutes with your hands, sprinkling more flour when the dough starts to stick to your hands or the work surface.
SAM_9588
Knead until the dough feels very soft and elastic. You can feel all Italian chef with your self my lifting the dough with your clenched fists, making circular motions with your hands and stretching the dough between both hands making a bigger circle with each rotation. I had so much fun doing this, too bad I don’t have a video to show for it. Tear off a decent sized chunk and flatten it out. Then lay it across a pizza pan. I improvised and used the cover of my biggest pot.
SAM_9591
Keep the rest in the freezer. It can last for weeks, simply let it defrost and roll out another batch of pizza dough. Easy peasy.
SAM_9603
Using a spoon, spread the fried ata din din all over the dough leaving the edges out
SAM_9593
Add the toppings, starting from grated Mozzarella then lay over the kilishi, sprinkle over the grilled assorted meats interspersed with big crumbles of Wara.
SAM_9599

Finish off by adding chopped ata rodo, green shombo and chopped Uziza leaves. For extra seasoning, I sprinkled over a teaspoon of Suya spice. See the representation of the Italian flag (red, white and green) and the Nigerian flag in the toppings? Hehehehehe

SAM_9615

Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes. Don’t leave it in for too long, otherwise the kilishi will turn hard and chewy, whilst the uziza leaves will dry out to much and crisp up. Here is my result.

SAM_9624

Ta daaa

SAM_9625

I have had this idea in my head for months now, and not once did i entertain any doubts that it would work. While it was baking, niggling doubts crept it. Dunni, Mozarella and kilishi, hmmn, what if it tastes disgusting, or smells really wrong. Then i peered into the oven like million times, willing it to taste awesome. Before i drove myself crazy, years of watching food network kicked in. For any doubting thomases, this is for you. Mozarella is a bland tasting cheese. Same with cottage cheese, or Indian paneer. They will absorb the flavour of any ingredient that they are cooked in.
I made a rookie mistake on my first try – I am putting this there to warn you. DON’T add your toppings while the dough is on your work top. It will be difficult to lift off. Either use a pizza pan, or the cover of a large pot. It happened to me, and it was a big mess. I gave up and rolled the pizza dough on itself, giving me a pizza sandwich.
SAM_9608
Anyway, back to my main pizza which I got right on my second try because i used a pizza pan (a la pot cover) before I spread my toppings on
SAM_9629
SAM_9660
I am throwing down the gauntlet to Pizzeria’s in Nigeria. BE CREATIVE. Honestly, there are so many local ingredients that will go great on a Pizza. From Peppered snails, chicken, crispy fried yam, Offals, Sweet potato, garden eggs, etc. Caution though, I will take legal action if you steal my recipe and sell it. Lol.
SAM_9818

 


15 Comments

Subscribe

Get all the latest recipes straight to your inbox

FILED UNDER: Nigerian Fusion Cuisine
TAGGED WITH: dooney's kitchen pizza, Kilishi, kilishi pizza, Nigerian Pizza, pizza, suya, suya pizza
Dooney

About Dooney

Dooney is the blogger, recipe developer and photographer for Dooney's Kitchen. I spend my days trying to figure out creative ways to redefine Nigerian food, either by creating a new dish itself using ingredients in ways that have never been used before, or changing the approach to Nigerian cooking using kitchen gadgets.

Related

If this is your first time commenting on Dooney's Kitchen, please take a moment to read our comment policy.

« Ojojo – water yam fritters
Egusi Ijebu »

Comments

  1. AvatarIfey says

    October 25, 2013 at 5:19 pm

    This should be fun. Would try it out some time. Thanks for your lovely ideas.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      October 25, 2013 at 8:04 pm

      I hope you enjoy making it. Please let me know how yours turns out

      Reply
  2. AvatarNike says

    October 25, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    Madam, wow. Making this on Sunday. BUT u have to tell me how you made the wara I. Particularly as I have been hounding you for the recipe for the past 3 months. Lol

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      October 25, 2013 at 8:06 pm

      Nike, you will have to send me your email address. if you are making this on sunday it is too late. I got the ingredient for Wara sent to me from Nigeria. You can try my other cheese recipe here. It is similar to Wara. http://www.dooneyskitchen.com/2013/08/15/i-made-cheese/

      Reply
      • AvatarNike says

        October 25, 2013 at 10:47 pm

        Thanks so much. Sent an email to your [email protected] email. Thanks

        Reply
  3. AvatarTraycee says

    October 27, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    Wow, “This is wicked mate “! (in the English accent) lol. Looks good. Creativity in action. Thumbs up 🙂

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      October 27, 2013 at 7:33 pm

      Lol. Thanks

      Reply
  4. Avatarfeyi says

    April 7, 2014 at 10:20 am

    Reading the ogi ice cream thread got me interested in the Suya pizza. Look so yummy and amazeballs. Where can I get Kilishi in London?

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      April 7, 2014 at 3:12 pm

      Hi Feyi, you cna check Nigerian food stores like BIMS in peckham and Ade’s in Woolwich

      Reply
  5. AvatarFeyi says

    April 7, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Thx. Will try dalson or make it without the kilishi. Planning to make it for dinner 2nite. You just ruined my diet:)

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      April 7, 2014 at 3:42 pm

      Oh dear. Sorry about that. Lol

      Reply
  6. Avatartolu says

    December 28, 2014 at 3:49 am

    Can I use plain flour to make dis instead of the pastry flour

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      December 30, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      Yes, you can

      Reply
  7. Avatarfolashade LL says

    January 7, 2015 at 10:11 pm

    This is serious! Drooling already. Would beef jerky work?

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      January 9, 2015 at 1:55 pm

      Yes, yes and yes

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ATTENTION: Please do not include links in your comments. Any comment that has a link in it will be destroyed on sight.

Oh Hi There

Hi, my name is Dunni Obata, and I am what you would call the poster child for redefining Nigerian food. Welcome to Dooney's Kitchen, the home of Nigerian centric food, detailed recipes and sharing personal stories. Read more...

Stay updated!

Get all the latest tasty goodness straight to your inbox!

Dooney's Kitchen
Dooney's Kitchen

Recent Comments

  • Margery on Alapa – my Grandmother’s Palm Oil Stew
  • Sean on The famous Ewa Aganyin – my journey to getting it right
  • Dooney on Puff Puff and Cocktails – a new era for our national favourite chops
  • Dooney on Edikaikong – A traditional Calabar recipe
  • Dooney on The Orange Eba

Must Reads

Introducing Our Thoughts and You

Meal Drop Off and Pick Up service

Sponsor

Popular Categories

  • Rice Dishes
  • Traditional Nigerian Soups
  • Stews
  • Yam, Plantain and Pottage Dishes
  • Snacks
  • Healthy Nigerian

Most Popular Recipes

Etinkeni Mmong Ikong

Ayamase – Ofada Stew

Party Jollof rice

Ogbono soup redefined!!!!

Buka Stew

Latest Recipes

The Battle of the Saucepans Begins on Knorr Taste Quest 4

Tomatoeless Stew

Yajichurri Meatballs Sauce and Linguine

Schwartz Uk Ebook – Jollof rice and Chicken Ayilata made the cut

STAY CONNECTED


@Dooneyskitchen

@DOONEYSKITCHENTRIBE

The Official Instagram page of the online community, Dooney's Kitchen Tribe. To showcase a collection of the best and yummiest pictures of our Tribers

FEATURED

myTaste.com myTaste.ng alldishes.co.uk Tasty Query - recipes search engine
Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100

Konga Verified Blogger

Get all the latest recipes straight to your inbox

Dooney’s Favourites

Asun (spicy smoked goat meat)

Vanilla Honeybean Milk

The Dooney’s Kitchen guide to amazing Puff Puff

Ugu Smoothie

Surf and Turf Otong Soup

Nigerian food, is bold, multi faceted, rich, colourful, spicy and with varied nuances, as you move from tribe to tribe. To describe Nigerian cooking, one would say it is fiercely traditional and somewhat dogmatic, but Dooney’s Kitchen proposes to simplify methods and steps that have been passed from generation to generation whilst also challenging some of these methods using Technology. The New Nigerian Cookery isn’t just about creating a New Nigerian Kitchen, or should we say a more technology aware Nigerian cooking experience, but it encompasses redefining recipes too. Come along on the journey, and welcome to one of the best online resources for Nigerian food.

Copyright © 2021· UNAUTHORISED USE OF ANY IMAGES OR CONTENT IS NOT ALLOWED. LEGAL REDRESS WILL BE SOUGHT AND I ALWAYS WIN

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in