Chenna Poda Recipe

Chenna Poda is a cheese dessert from the state of Odisha in the Eastern India which means Roasted Cheese in Odia. It is made of well-kneaded homemade fresh cheese chenna, sugar, cashew nuts and raisins and is baked for several hours until it turns brown. Chenna Poda is the only well known Indian dessert whose flavour is predominantly derived from the caramelization of sugar. It is a soft and pillowy dessert loaded with the goodness of chenna, which is a rich source of protein too. Course : Dessert Ingridients : 250 grams Paneer (Homemade Cottage Cheese) 4 tablespoons Sugar , powdered 1-1/2 tablespoons Ghee 4 tablespoons Milk 2 tablespoons Sooji (Semolina/ Rava) 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder (Elaichi) Cashew nuts , few broken Sultana Raisins , as required For caramelising 1 tablespoon Ghee 2-3 tablespoons Sugar Instructions To begin making Chenna Poda, firstly take fresh paneer or homemade chenna and mash it well with your hands.Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder and mix all together properly.Add sooji/rawa, ghee and milk and mix it properly till everything incorporates well.In a separate pan fry the broken pieces of cashews and few raisins and add it to the chenna mix as well.In a baking pan or a tin, add 1 tablespoon of ghee and spread all over the base.Add sugar and hold the pan or baking tray firmly on the gas top and heat the pan base till the sugar starts to caramelize.Turn off the gas and transfer the chenna mix over the caramelized sugar evenly.Tap the pan to settle the mix well and bake the chenna in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree C for 40-45 mins or till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.Take out the baked chenna poda and cool it on a wire wrack for 2 hours approximately.Hold the pan upside down on a serving tray and remove the chenna poda carefully.Cut into slices and serve!Serve Chenna Poda with Masala Chai and Whole Moong Dal Vada.