Chhena Poda is a traditional and delicious dessert from the state of Odisha in India. It is made with fresh cottage cheese, sugar, and cardamom powder, and is baked to perfection. The name “Chhena Poda” literally translates to “burnt cheese” in the local language, which refers to the caramelized crust that forms on top of the dessert during baking. Here is a simple and easy recipe for making Chhena Poda at home:
Ingredients:
- 1 liter full-fat milk
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup semolina (sooji)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- A pinch of salt
Instructions:
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the milk on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil.
- Once the milk starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the lemon juice or vinegar to the milk. Stir well until the milk curdles and the whey separates from the curd.
- Turn off the heat and strain the mixture through a muslin cloth or a fine sieve to separate the chenna (cottage cheese) from the whey. Rinse the chenna with cold water to remove any lemony flavor.
- Squeeze out any excess water from the chenna by pressing it with a heavy object for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, crumble the chenna with your hands.
- Add the sugar, semolina, all-purpose flour, ghee, cardamom powder, and salt to the crumbled chenna. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Grease a baking dish with ghee or butter.
- Pour the chenna mixture into the greased baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Bake the Chhena Poda in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
- Once done, remove the Chhena Poda from the oven and let it cool completely.
- Cut the Chhena Poda into slices and serve it as a dessert.
Enjoy your delicious and sweet Chhena Poda!