Delicious Dessert Chhena Poda Recipe
Chhena Poda Recipe is a delicious dessert from the state of Odisha in India. It is a traditional sweet made from cottage cheese, sugar, and cardamom. The name “Chhena Poda” literally translates to “roasted cheese” in Odia, the language of Odisha.
Here’s a recipe for making Chhena Poda:
Chhena Poda Recipe Ingredients:
1. 1 liter of full-fat milk 2. 1 lemon (juice extracted) 3. 1 cup of sugar 4. 1/4 cup of semolina (sooji) 5. 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder 6. 2 tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter) 7. A handful of chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios) for garnish |
Chhena Poda Recipe Preparation:
1. Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle boil. 2. Once the milk starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and add lemon juice gradually while stirring continuously. 3. The acid in the lemon juice will curdle the milk and separate the whey from the solids (chhena). Keep stirring until the milk solids completely separate. 4. Turn off the heat and strain the curdled milk through a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Gather the cloth and rinse the chhena under cold water. This helps remove any traces of lemon juice. 5. Squeeze out the excess water from the chhena and hang it for about 30 minutes to drain any remaining liquid. 6. This step is important to ensure the chhena is not too wet. 7. After 30 minutes, transfer the drained chhena to a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, semolina, cardamom powder, and ghee. Mix well until everything is evenly combined. 8. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). 9. Grease a round baking pan with ghee and transfer the chhena mixture to the pan. Press it down firmly and level the surface. 10. Garnish the top with chopped nuts, pressing them slightly into the chhena. 11. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the top turns golden brown and caramelized. 12. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely. This will allow the chhena poda to set. Once cooled, carefully invert the pan onto a serving plate to release the Chhena Poda. 13. Cut it into slices and serve the delicious Chhena Poda as a dessert or snack. Note: The baking time may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on it to prevent overcooking. Your delicious Chhena Poda is now ready to be served. Enjoy this scrumptious sweet as a dessert or as a tea-time snack. |
Today, Chhena Poda has become an iconic sweet dish of Odisha and is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Chhena Poda Recipe is often served as a dessert in Odia households, offered as prasad (religious offering) in temples, and is also available in sweet shops and confectioneries throughout the state. Due to its unique taste and texture, Chhena Poda has gained popularity beyond Odisha and is now savored by people across India and even internationally.