When it comes to having feast, we Odiya"s are highly enterprising in cooking. We are very elaborate and simple daily menu would consist of plenty of side dishes. Mustard, posto, panch puton are special ingredients are exclusively to Odiya cooking .
When it come sweet dishes, fresh Chenna (Paneer or Ricotta cheese) plays a very significant role. Many yummy dessert are made from chenna as their main ingredient. The most famous one needs no introduction to many sweet lovers. Rasagulla is very much loved by Oriya people and also admired world wide.
The delicious warm Rasagullas melts in the mouth. Another very special and native to Odiya dessert is Chena poda pitha (cottage cheese cake) which is slowly baked in earthen fire for few hours and then cooled down for hours before serving.These cakes are very famous through out Odisha. The cakes are purely made of chenna with small amount suji (semolina) to bind. This is said to be the favorite dessert of Lord Jaganath.
I was also curious to make this wonderful dessert. On tete o tete with a vendor who specialize in making these cakes, I tried to make this lip smacking dessert following his recipe, the results were baffling. Since I was holidaying in my home town I had plenty of people to taste it and relish it.
It is so simple, easy and absolutely delicious.
Here is the recipe
Chenna poda
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Ingredients
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500 g Chenna from fresh milk
1/4 cup -Suji ( semolina)
1 cup Castor Sugar
1 tsp Cardamom powder
1/4 Raisins - 1/2 cup
1 /4 cup Cashew nuts
In a big bowl mash Chenna thoroughly using your palm. Add semolina and sugar and rest of the ingredients. Mix it well.
To get a caramelized effect on the top. Apply a tablespoon of ghee to the baking tin. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on the tin. Hold the tin slightly above gas stove for few mins to melt the sugar. Spread the melted sugar evenly.
Then pour the chenna mix over the caramelized sugar. Bake on preheat oven of 180 ' C for one hour. Insert a toothpick to check. It is cooked well if the tooth comes out clean.
Cool it for 2 to 3 hours and then turn it upside down. Slice and serve. It stays fresh for a week in the refrigerator.
This is was published in Polkacafe along with my other ODIYA desserts. It had an amazing response with 21K hits. Thanks
I have tried it and it was superb.
ReplyDeleteLovely blog and recipes you have here:) All new and lovely recipes for me:)
ReplyDeleteplease... i'm lost. what is chenna and what is orissa? if chenna is cheese, then poda is orissa? i want to learn more about indian food. i shall go to an indian restaurant :)
ReplyDeleteI love chena poda like anything.
ReplyDeletei love to cook it but i have one question is soji is necessary?
Thank you so much Meenu for visiting my blog.yes suji is necessary because I had asked the vendor .He had recommended to add suji to get a grainy taste and bit to bind.
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ReplyDeletefeels horrible and shocked, right..how can anyone just copy???
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of our visits to puri... every evening someone would come to sell the fresh chennapoda ... :-))
ReplyDeleteyour blog is just awesome. I went thru' some recipes.. what gorgeous pics and presentation.
Soma Rathore(www.ecurry.com)
Thanks for posting this recipe. I had followed your instructions & the results were wonderful. My husband & me liked the chenna poda a lot.
ReplyDeleteLily
Its a wonderful recipe & thanks for sharing such a delicious chena poda recipe..have just tried it now n hope it comes out good...
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThis was really wonderful. I fall in love with Chenna podo from the very early days of mine in Bhubaneswar. Since then, a long fifteen years, my tongue was unknown to this taste. Hope your recipe will serve the craving. Thank you
such a traditional delight. and yes suji is required it makes it soft and helps the chena to hold the sugar syrup. looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteA favourite of Lord Jagannath? Wonderful! This looks awesome!
ReplyDelete