If cheesecakes were the domain of the western world ……. Well,
let me to introduce to you the quintessential Odia dessert called Chhenapoda – the only well known Indian
dessert derives its flavor primarily from caramelized sugar.
It’s made of a few
basic ingredients but yields a smoky, nutty flavored sublime dessert that is infinitely rich and intense. I particularly love it’s
texture, it certainly looks like a cake but tastes like a slightly grainy
pudding. How much I try to put my feelings in words, I don’t think I can truly describe
in words what a wonderful dessert I am talking about. The proof of this dessert
is totally in it’s eating. and
considering how easy it is to make, you might start to making it now…..
Chhena Poda
or baked cottage cheese is a sweet dish from the
state of Odisha, India. The literal meaning of Chhena poda is burnt cottage
cheese; Chhena is cottage cheese and Poda means burnt. The procedure is simple,
home-made cottage cheese is well-kneaded along with dry fruits and sugar, then
it is slowly baked till the caramelized brown color appears. What makes this
sweet dish different from other Indian desserts is the flavor of caramelized
sugar. Chhena poda is usually made at home during traditional festivals and as
offerings to the God. It is said that Chhena Poda is Lord Jagganath’s favourite
dessert.
It is said that Chhena Poda had
originated in Nayagarh, a small town in Odisha in the first half of the twentieth
Century by Bidyadhar Sahoo , the owner of the confectionery, who one day
decided to add sugar and certain seasoning to the leftover cottage cheese and
leave it in the oven which was warm from earlier use. The next day he was
surprised to find out a dessert which in the coming years would become so popular throughout Odisha.
Traditional method of baking
- Once the baking tray is ready with the mixture, cover it with 4/5 layers of plantain leaf or an aluminium foil.Put burning charcoal over that. Else, you can put a lid on the tray and then put burning charcoal.
- Put the tray on earthen oven with low intensity flame. Let it be there for 1½ – 2 hours. You can check the status of baking by piercing a small knife or a clean toothpick. If it is done, the toothpick/knife would come out clean.
Modern method of baking
- Once the baking tray is ready with the mixture, put it in the microwave oven. Set the cooking time to 30-45 minutes.
- After the baking time is over, open the over door. Leave the tray in the oven to cool down.
Ingredients
For chhena or cottage cheese
- 3 litre milk
- Juice of 2 lemons
For Chhena Poda
- Chhena made out of 3 ltrs of milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp cardamoms powder
- 1 tbsp cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp warm milk or whey
Lets learn how to do it:
1. Boil the milk in a deep vessel. Simmer and add lemon juice when the milk starts boiling.Turn off the heat.
2. Curdling will happen and you will see the chhena separating from the water. Boil for a minute and turn off the flame.
3. Sieve the chhena through a strainer lined with muslin cloth. keep the whey aside.
4. Crumble and mash the chhena when it is still warm with the help of a spatula till smooth.
5. Fry cashew nuts and raisins lightly to give a richer taste to the preparation.
5. Fry cashew nuts and raisins lightly to give a richer taste to the preparation.
6. Add sugar, cardamom powder and fried cashew nuts and raisin to the chhena. Add 2 table spoon of milk or whey to it and mix well in a blender till smooth.
7. Grease a baking tin with ghee or butter.
8. Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar and heat the pan. Once the sugar starts getting caramelized, switch off the flame and tilt the baking pan so that its base is well covered with caramel syrup.
9. Now spread evenly using a flat spatula.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 45 minutes till the top turns brown or in Microwave in convention mode at 180 degree for 40 to 45 minutes .
11. Insert a tooth pick in the center. It should come out clean. If it is wet, bake for 5 more minutes.
12. Run a knife through the sides and invert the cooking tin on a plate as soon as it is out of the oven. Any delay will make the sugar at the base of the tin harder making it difficult to come out intact.
13. Slice the Chhena Poda and serve hot or cold.
