CHHENA PODA - THE ORIGINAL INDIAN CHEESECAKE FROM ODISHA!

CHHENA PODA - THE ORIGINAL INDIAN CHEESECAKE FROM ODISHA!

Chhena poda(baked cottage cheese) is a sweet dish from the state of Orissa in eastern India.The literal meaning of Chena poda is Roasted Cheese.It is made of well-kneaded homemade fresh cheese chhena,sugar,cashew nuts and raisins and is baked for several hours until it browns.
Chena is cottage cheese and Poda means burnt.Then it is slowly baked till the caramelized brown color appears from sugar.What makes this sweet dish different from other Indian desserts is the flavor of caramelized sugar.
It is usually made at home during traditional festivals and as offerings to the God.It is said that Chena Poda is Lord Jagganath’s favourite dessert and is among the "Chappan Bhog" offered at the Jagganath Puri temple. 

History:
Chhenapoda originated in the Odia town of Nayagarh in the first half of the twentieth century.The owner of a confectionery,Sudarshana Sahoo decided to add sugar and seasonings to leftover cottage cheese one night,and left it in an oven that was still warm from earlier use.
The next day,he was surprised to find out what a delightful dessert he had created.

Preparation:
Chhena poda is usually made at home during traditional festivals in Odisha.It is also served in small traditional roadside stalls and confectioneries throughout the state along with other delicacies such as rasagolla.Since the mid-1980s,it has gradually found its place in restaurant menus across Odisha.
Making chhenapoda is very easy.You will be surprised by the factor of simplicity and ease in this recipe.Unlike other baking recipes which involves two to three steps,this is a one bowl recipe.You can not go wrong when making this delicious cake.
Odisha Milk Federation is investing heavily in mass-producing and popularizing this delicacy.

Prep Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:60 minutes (including the time to make fresh cheena)
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

.2 litre full cream milk
.2 tablespoon lemon juice or as needed
.3/4 cup sugar
.2 tablespoon suji / semolina
.2 tablespoon ghee
.4 tablespoon whey or milk 
.1 teaspoon cardamom powder
.4-5 cashew nuts, roughly chopped
.2 tablespoon raisins
.2 tablespoon sugar for making caramel
.2 tablespoon pistachio, chopped for garnishing

Method:

i)Place 2 liter milk in a sauce pan on stove and heat on medium flame until it boils.Put off the flame and allow the milk to cool down for 5 minutes. Now add lemon juice little by little while stirring the milk.
ii)Strain the milk using a muslin cloth lined colander.Collect the whey in a container placed below the colander.Now gather the sides of the cloth in which the chhena is collected.Rinse the cheena under running water while in cloth to remove the traces of lemon juice.Squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the cheena.
iii)Mash the Chenna or cottage cheese well with the heel of your hands on a plate till there are no crumbs left, approximately for 5-6 minutes.
iv)Add the sugar,semolina,milk,ghee and the cardamom powder and mix well till incorporated.
v)Fry the cashews and raisins in 1 tbsp ghee in a frying pan till light brown in colour and add to the mix.
vi)Take ghee and sugar for Caramelising in a loaf pan or round pan in which you are going to bake the Chenna Poda and heat on a gas stove till the sugar caramelises and turns golden.Make sure not to caramelise it more than golden brown as the crust will taste bitter.
vii)Arrange the Chenna mix on the caramelised ghee and sugar and even out the surface.
viii)Bake at 180 deg C for 35-40 minutes in a preheated oven.Check for done-ness of cake by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake.If it is clean the cheena poda is ready,if you find it stick bake for another 5 minutes.Now loosen the sides of the pan and invert the cake on a plate. You can see a brown moist caramel layer at the top . Garnish it with pistachio and rose petals and serve warm or cold.Allow the chhena poda to cool down for a while. 
ix)Now loosen the sides of the pan and invert the cake on a plate.You can see a brown moist caramel layer at the top.
x)Cut in slices,serve warm or cold.

Recipe Notes:
.Make chhenapoda using fresh homemade chhena for authentic taste.
.The quantity of sugar mentioned here is according to my taste.You can increase or decrease quantity according to yours.
.You may use vinegar to curdle the milk if you do not have fresh lemon juice.
.Do not caramelise the sugar more than a golden brown colour as it will make the crust bitter.
.Whey (water left after making chhena) is nutritious and can be used in dal, soup or while kneading chapati or paratha dough.
.Do not overbake the Chenna Poda as it will turn dry , keep checking after 30 minutes of the oven time is over.

Demand:
Demand and sale of Chhena poda is huge in Odisha with every sweet shop preparing its own flavour either from sugar or gud (jaggery).Its shape of a cake often attracts a huge number visitors to grab a bite and take it home as the "Taste of Odisha".

If you ever try this recipe,do share your feedback with us in the comment section below.