Wondering how to make pizza the simple way? You're in for a treat.

Just a few years ago, I courageously attempted to bake breads but none of my efforts worked and the breads just would not rise. What was supposed to evolve into a soft and fluffy loaf in the oven turned out to be a hardened lump of flour. Since then, I have firmly decided to stay away from anything that requires yeast as one of its ingredients.



It wasn't until a last December that I regained the confidence to take up baking again. Interest, coupled with the perfect pizza recipe that is so easy and effortless to follow, has victoriously made baking my favorite pastime again.

This easy step-by-step pizza dough recipe has been tried and tested and it makes 4-5 small pizza bases that will turn crispy and crusty when baked.

Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Extra flour for working
• 1 tsp. fine salt
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. plain yogurt

Step-by-step Pizza Dough Recipe

1. Stir yeast in hot water until dissolved. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and yogurt. Add yeast into the flour mixture:



2. Stir mixture in circular motion with a fork until tiny crumbles are formed:



 3. Press and flatten crumbles until a dough is formed:



4. Transfer dough onto a surface that has been liberally dusted with flour:



5. Knead dough for 10-15 minutes until it is soft and elastic. My kneading method is to fold all four sides into the middle and flatten the dough starting from the middle to the edge. Repeat the process until the desired texture is achieved:



6. After kneading, roll dough into a firm ball:



7. Place dough into a bowl that has already been greased with olive oil. This is to ensure that the dough does not stick to the bowl after rising. Cover the bowl with a lid/foil. Place it in a warm area and leave it to rise for about 4-5 hours:



8. Once dough has risen, divide it into smaller portions. Cover bowl and allow dough to rise for another 1-2 hours. Your dough will be ready after this last step. They can either be used right away, or be kept in air-tight containers to be refrigerated (best used within one week).

Air Papan is a seaside village in the state of Johor, just 15km north of the Mersing district. The beach is a popular weekend getaway for many Malay families due to the proximity and it is a very common sight to see colorful picnic mats being laid out and children frolicking around the shore in the evening.

Pantai Air Papan is not exactly somewhere anyone would specifically make a trip to (murky water, congested, and since it is a Muslim-populated area, lounging in your bikinis will be considered very disrespectful). Worth stopping by only if you happen to be in Mersing in my opinion.




There, you can find a few Malay stalls selling a small selection of local fare.

Most Dusuns/Kadazans are Christians so the consumption of pork is nothing out of the ordinary. However, many of these stalls do not have proper signboards except for banners with the words 'Sinalau Bakas' scribbled on them, so there have been incidents where Muslims from West Malaysia have mistakenly consumed the meat without knowing what they really were.

Chef Nigel Richter, from Canada, also the ambassador of Johnnie Walker Keep Walking

Natalie Harley, Senior Brand Manager of the Johnnie Walker Deluxe

We were swept off our feet with a three course meal that evening, each being paired with a different blend of whisky in accordance with the flavor profiles of the dishes.

Spiced Oxtail Cappuccino paired with the JW Gold Label Reserve

JOHNNIE WALKER GOLD LABEL RESERVE is a structured, multi-layered blend with a smooth balance of luscious sweet fruits that evokes deeper honey tones. Lingering waves of wood and light sweet west-coast smoke.

The chef structured the dish to complement the earthy flavors of the Gold Label Reserve. Cinnamon, star anise, and allspice were added to round off the woody and light sweet flavors of the whisky. The fenugreek used to flavor the milk foam has common flavor compounds with the Gold Label Reserve, which was aged in oak barrels.

This dish was my absolute favorite. The strong woodsy and smoky taste given out by the shitake mushrooms made the dish so distinctive from all the other oxtail stews that I've tried. The whisky complemented it really well as it leaves a long, toffee-like sensation to the taste-buds.

Okay let's face it - describing the tastes of whiskies is evidently not my forte (yet), but trust me when I say that they go really well together. :)

Dessert: Smoked cheese cake paired with JW Double Black

The chef elegantly sprucing up the presentation of the cake with local forest honey

JOHNNIE WALKER DOUBLE BLACK. This uniquely rich smoky flavour is derived from a combination of aged, naturally smoky whiskies that have been matured in deep charred old oak casks. Its smokiness is complemented by notes of creamy vanilla, apples, pears and orange zest.

The chef picked strawberries as it can enhance the citrus and fruity flavors of the Double Black. The cake was further flavored by hickory smoked water which matches the smoky wood tones found in the Double Black.

The whisky is smoky and malty with a hint of sweetness, and the sweetness from the cake comes from the sauces - all which tasted very natural (not the kind of sweetness that gives you five cavities and a gum infection) - and the aftertaste of this combination is simply gratifying. Bitter, yet very addictive.

So here's a quick recap of my culinary experience there:
Eat, sip, eat, talk, sip, eat, sip, talk, sip, eat, sip, eat, talk, sip, sip, eat, talk.

Yeap, it was that awesome.

Through this event, I have personally garnered a lot of knowledge on whiskies and the proper ways to pair them in order to bring out the best in both the food as well as the liquor. A lot of attention has been given to the ingredients (down to minute details like the spices, aromas, and seasonings) and it was a joy learning how the slightest similarity in the flavor compound could bring about the perfect combination.

Being raised in a Chinese family, you could hardly tell the whiskies apart because we drink them in almost every occasion and we pair them with almost anything that is edible, from shark fins soup to cotton candies. *dismissive shrugs*

It's great getting to gain new knowledge from the JW food and whisky pairing demonstration by Chef Nigel Richter. Got me all pumped up and eager to learn more!