Odia's utterly delicious version of baked cheesecake is Chenna Poda. Shristi Sahoo brings the authentic taste of the much favoured dessert right to your kitchen with her recipe.
Chenna Poda literally translates to burnt cheese. That's precisely what this delightful sweet is -- caramelised, subtly sweet and full of crumbly loveliness. The best Chenna Poda can be found in the Nimapara district of Puri.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Subhransuphotography/Wikimedia Commons
Chenna Poda
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
- 500 gm chenna or freshly-made paneer, crumbled
- 200 gm sugar or to taste
- 1 tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp suji or semolina, optional
- 10-12 cashews
- 10-12 raisins
- Pinch of salt
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the crumbled chenna, sugar, cardamom powder, semolina, salt.
Mix well until well combined.
Keep aside. - Lightly roast the cashews, raisins in 1 tsp of the ghee in a small frying pan, over low heat.
- Add the roasted nuts and raisins to the chenna mixture and mix to distribute evenly.
- Preheat an oven to 180 °C
- Grease a round or square baking dish with the remaining ghee.
Transfer the chenna mixture into the greased baking dish.
Spread the mixture and press it down firmly with the back of a tbsp or your hand to ensure it gets compacted.
Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Take out of the oven and cool to room temperature. - Once cooled, cut it into slices or squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Shristi's Tips: If using store-bought paneer, crumble it well.
To make paneer at home follow this recipe: Neena Gupta Makes Paneer
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