PESHAWAR: The lone shop behind Qissa Khawani Bazaar selling bread pizza and Bakarkhani is becoming famous owing to popularity and tasteful crispiness of the food items.

The local pizza, prepared with a different ingredients mixed in dough, is fast gaining fame among local residents.

Rehan Jalil, a baker, told this scribe that 400 grams bread pizza was available at Rs40 in the city while simple bread weighing 200 grams could be available for Rs10. A few Afghan shops also used to sell it but after their return, only one or two shops in the city were there to sell Roghni Naan, he added.

As brand pizza pack is available at higher price, common city resident resort to buy locally prepared bread pizza. The ingredients of local pizza are onion, tomato, potato, garlic, cumin, coriander, pomegranate seed and ginger. About 170 grams bread baked in ghee is available at Rs20.

People from far flung areas come to the city early in the morning for buying Bakarkhani and local bread pizza.

Wazir Rahman, another baker at the lone local pizza shop, said their shop was set up 40 years ago. “My father used to sell only bakarkhanai, Roghni Naan, sugarcoated Naan and now local bread pizza.

He said that local residents loved to enjoy pizza Naan as it was crispy. “One can eat it with or without other edibles,” he said, adding that preparing a local bread pizza and Bakarkhani required extra budget and time so other bakers did not take the risk.

Mr Rahman said that not only local residents consumed it but also people from surrounding areas came to buy it. He said that sometimes people placed orders through mobile phone for home pack. He said that children were fonder of local bread pizza and Bakarkhani than anyone else.

The baker said that different ingredients including refined flour (maida) two cups, baking powder ½ teaspoon, salt to taste, sugar 2½ teaspoons, milk ¾ cup, fresh yeast crumbled one tablespoon, raisins 12 to 14 and chironji one tablespoon were mixed in the dough .

Haji Abdul Khan, a local resident, said that morning was the peak time of Bakarkhani as it was then the most favourite breakfast for school going children. He said that Peshawar city was famous for variety of breads, local cosine and beverages.

He said that Bakarkhani was said to be the oldest breakfast bite in the city.

“Because of its high price, every one cannot afford it, local residents buy it off and on, and similar is the case with local pizza crunch. I come especially from Warsak Road for buying Bakarkhani and local pizza bread on every Sunday for my family,” said Mr Khan.

Nimra Younas, a student, said that her favourite breakfast bite was simple bread but on Sundays she would be the last to miss out Bakarkhani and bread pizza.

She said that bread pizza though was a poor man’s bite yet its flavour contained a traditional touch, which was relished by most children.

“My mom can prepare Bakarkhani but bread pizza needs lot of hard work. I think local bread pizza gives me a good taste than the brand one,” said Ms Younas.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2016