Glocally delightful

The best way to popularise any food is to localize it, especially if it’s international street food. Although pizza is already very popular in India, especially with children, yet localizing it by adding key ingredients from local cuisines could theoretically make it more popular. Hence at Kari Theory, this was recently celebrated with the launch of ‘Pijja’, a localized version of the pizza on the occasion of World Pizza Day.

The event started with twenty-five colorful autos gathered for a procession at to the Radisson Blu Hotel & Suites GRT Chennai where Kari Theory was witness to an exclusive pijja-making session. There, guests indulged in freshly baked pijjas while listening to a lively DJ set.  Pijja infuses each slice with strong, nostalgic flavors, drawing influence from the streets of Tamil Nadu. Pure desi ghee is used for baking and basting, and the sauce is a carefully chosen combination of regional spices and locally grown tomatoes, giving each mouthful depth and authenticity. Carefully chosen regional cheeses and health-promoting garnishes like basil, tulsi, and moringa enhance the tastes, making each pijja not only tasty but also filling. This is then combined with meats or vegetables, as per preference.

The menu features an exciting range of flavors that seamlessly blend tradition and innovation. Signature creations include the Murungai Keerai Pijja, featuring nutrient-rich drumstick leaves, and the Nethli Pijja, which pays homage to Tamil Nadu’s love for seafood with crispy anchovies atop a rich, spiced tomato base. Every bite promises an explosion of flavors, carefully curated to balance authenticity with modern flair. We tried a variety of pizzas and can tell you that although it’s a bit of an acquired taste, the flavours are very interesting. One good thing that we noticed was the base of the pizza. The dough was fresh and gave a tasty flip to other locally sourced ingredients like the rustic pizza sauce.

So pijja is something if you are craving for local flavours on your international food. Earlier, pizza was very popular with children but a lot of adults gave it a miss because of unfamiliar ingredients. Pijja aims to add that bit of local flavour and toppings to it. Normal pizza is also looked upon as very unhealthy food but here the effort is to add a bit of health – like the use of desi ghee over other types of processed oils. This type of attention to both the preparation of the food and even its packaging is quite interesting because even the boxes are made out of eco-friendly paper and inks. The aim is to reduce wastage and promote sustainability. Notably, INR 50 from every pijja sold goes to the ‘Chefs of Hunger’ program. The point here when you order a pijja is that you are not only satisfying your hunger pangs, but making a difference to the outside world as well. Do note that pijja can be ordered through a cloud kitchen as well, so you can taste the goodness at home as well.