Chenna Poda, also known as Chhena Poda, is a famous Indian sweet originating from Odisha, made with fresh chenna, or cottage cheese.
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Debjani's Note
For Bengalis, Puri holds a special place. I'm not referring to the Indian bread, but the city famous for its beaches and the Jagannath Dham temple in Odisha. Our connection to Puri often begins with family trips to the temple, followed by outings with friends. Later, there are honeymoons and countless visits in between, eventually leading to more trips after retirement! But our visits aren't just about the beach and temple. Every time we go, we make sure to bring back Khaja, Chhena Poda, and Roshogolla!
A true Bengali Puri trip is celebrated with delicious food, from the temple's Bhog Prasad to fantastic seafood, and of course, those incredible sweets like Khaja, Rosogolla, and Chhena Poda.
I first tasted Chenna Poda during one of my trips to Puri. I can't recall exactly which trip it was, as I've been there happily around twenty times! But of all the sweets I enjoyed, Chenna Poda is probably my absolute favorite.
Baked Chenna Poda
Last month, I finally had Baked Chhena Poda after so long! Yes, a baked version. Our landlord in Gurgaon is from Odisha, and his wife brought back some of this delicious treat from their family home and kindly gave it to us. As I savored each bite, Mehebub and I reminisced about my trips to Puri. I realized I haven't been back since getting married, and now I'm longing to revisit, this time with Mehebub and Pasta, our daughter, who has never experienced Puri before!
But let me get back to the star of the show: Chhena Poda! This heavenly cake, made from Chhena, also known as Paneer, is a traditional sweet from Odisha. Originally, Chhena Poda was made by steaming cottage cheese mixed with sugar, cardamom powder, and a touch of semolina. Nowadays, the baked version is more common.
Chenna Poda Recipe and Tips
While Chenna Poda is now widely available, it's often not made in the traditional way. However, it still tastes delicious! The good news is, baked Chenna Poda is quite easy to make at home, and I'm excited to share my recipe with you.
To make Chhena Poda at home, you'll need Shal Pata, leaves from the Shaal tree. These leaves give the dessert an incredible aroma. You can either steam or bake it. Interestingly, this delightful sweet was invented in the early 20th century by a confectioner in Nagarh.
After mixing chhena with sugar and a few seasonings, it was left overnight. The next morning, this simple preparation transformed into a unique and delicious dessert.
Here's how I make Chhena Poda at Debjanir Rannaghar!
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First, bring milk to a boil in a large pot, then lower the heat once it bubbles.
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Next, gently stir in lemon juice or vinegar until the milk separates into curds. You'll see this happen quickly, with the liquid whey separating from the curdled milk. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
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Strain the curds, or chhena, using a strainer, but save about ½ cup of the whey. Avoid squeezing the chhena too much; we want a soft texture for the Chhena Poda.
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In a bowl, combine the warm chhena with semolina, baking powder, and sugar. Mix lightly and let it rest for 5 minutes, allowing the semolina to absorb moisture.
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Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes.
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Now, knead the mixture by hand for about 5 minutes, until you have a smooth paste and the sugar has completely dissolved.
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Grind green cardamom seeds into a powder and mix it into the chhena mixture. Finally, add a little of the reserved whey to the mixture, about 3 tablespoons. The mixture should have a consistency similar to cake batter.
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Next, lightly fry cashew nuts and raisins in a small amount of ghee. Gently fold these into the chhena mixture.
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Prepare a baking tin by lining it with parchment paper. Pour the chhena mixture into the prepared tin and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes. Mine took 40 minutes to bake fully.
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After 30 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to check for doneness. If it's not ready, continue baking for a bit longer. The toothpick should come out clean when the Chhena Poda is completely baked.
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Remove the tin from the oven. Carefully loosen the sides of the Chhena Poda from the tin using a knife, then invert it onto a serving plate.
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Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you like, you can chill it in the refrigerator, although we prefer to enjoy it slightly warm.
Recipe Card
Chenna Poda | Chhena Poda | ChennaPoda
Ingredients
To make Chenna
- 2 Liter milk
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
To make Chenna Poda
- 2 cup Cottage Cheese/ Chenna / Paneer prepared from 2 Liters milk mentioned above
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Semolina
- 1 tablespoon Ghee/ Clarified Butter
- 8 Green Cardamom
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Cup Chenna Water from the cottage cheese prepared
- 50 g Cashew Nut
- 50 g Raisin
Instructions
- Begin by bringing the milk to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat, watching for bubbles to form. Then, lower the heat.
- Slowly pour in lemon juice or vinegar, stirring gently to help the milk curdle.
- You'll notice the milk separating into curds and whey within about 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Strain the curds, or chhena, using a strainer, but reserve about ½ cup of the drained liquid for later.
- Avoid squeezing the chhena too much, as we want it to remain soft for the recipe.
- In a bowl, combine the warm chhena with semolina, baking powder, and sugar. Mix lightly and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the semolina to absorb moisture.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes.
- Knead the mixture by hand for about 5 minutes until it forms a smooth paste and the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Grind green cardamom seeds into a powder and blend it into the chhena mixture.
- Add a small amount of the reserved liquid, about 3 tablespoons, to the mixture.
- The batter should be similar to a moderately thick cake batter.
- Fry the cashews and raisins in a small amount of ghee, then gently fold them into the chhena mixture.
- Line a baking tin with parchment paper, pour in the mixture, and bake at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 30-40 minutes. Mine took 40 minutes to bake fully.
- After 30 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, it's ready; otherwise, bake for a little longer.
- Once baked, remove the tin from the oven and loosen the sides of the chhena poda with a knife. Invert the tin to release the cake.
- Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can refrigerate it if you like, but we prefer to enjoy it slightly warm.
Nutrition
Related Recipes
Have you tried the Chenna Poda recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Here's the baked Chena Poda recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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