Brampton pizza: Why ordering 'Indian-style' might become a bigger thing in Canada
CBC
If pineapple as a topping is Canada's claim to pizza fame — or, to some, infamy — then the city of Brampton is home to what's next: Pizza made Indian-style.
That's pizza topped with garlic, coriander, ginger and green chilis. For decades, Brampton's South Asian community has been calling up local chains and ordering "Indian-style" pizza, and that success has led to even more Indian toppings (hello, butter chicken) being thrown on.
Joshna Maharaj, a chef and food activist, likens it to "a perfect Indian grilled cheese sandwich" complete with gooey cheese and a surprising kick.
Maharaj, who grew up in the rapidly growing city northwest of Toronto, says the pizzas often felt like a secret menu item long before secret menus became a thing.
"You have to just know the right person to ask for on the phone. They're the ones who have the permission, or the power in the joint, to greenlight paneer (Indian cheese) and green chilis so that you can get what you want," she said.
WATCH: Maharaj and the CBC's Nav Nanwa head to Brampton for an Indian-style slice
More pizza places across Canada are now giving that green light. You can find Indian-style pizzas, often complete with butter chicken, from St. John's to Winnipeg to a vineyard restaurant in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley. Chains like Popular Pizza, which has multiple locations within Brampton, are now expanding fast across Ontario into cities like Kitchener, London and Windsor.
Then there are the established giants, like Pizza Pizza, that are now offering tandoori vegetable pizzas.
So if you haven't had a pizza like this, the question might not be if, but when. Because make no mistake, it is delicious.
When you think of pizza you probably think of Italy.
A pizza margherita — thin crust, crushed San Marzano tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of fine olive oil — is, when done right, absolute perfection.
It's the subject of debate but it's possible that the mozzarella on that classic Italian pizza came from water buffalo originally from India, says international pizza consultant Anthony Falco.
Falco, who just returned to New York City from opening a pizza restaurant in Bangalore, India, says butter chicken (murgh makhani) also makes a "completely harmonious" pizza topping.
"Think about it, a fluffy pizza dough cooked to blistered perfection is very similar to naan bread," he said.
