The cuisine of Odisha (ओड़िशा का खाना) - Chhena Poda (छेना पोड़ा)
Going to Puri for the vacations is sort of a pilgrimage for many vacationers from Banaras. a minimum of that’s how it wont to be once we were growing up. I even remember being piled onto a train with my folks within the middle of our summer vacations to travel to the present beach town – to not just be baked crabs within the middle of the warmth, but also to ‘show our faces’ to Lord Jagannath.
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It was a ritual, till it all got too boring for everybody. To me, Puri was all about the monkeys that behaved almost like humans at the Jagannath Temple, the one-hour plus drive to Konark to ascertain the sun temple, eating fried seafood by the beach at Puri, and splashing around within the water till we were burnt within the face.
Oddly, I even have no recollection of eating the one sweet the state of Odisha is legendary for – the Chhena Poda – albeit it’s known to be Lord Jagannath’s favorite sweet, and is obtainable to him at the temple.
Most Popular Dishes Of The Odia Cuisine
Much later, guests from Bhubaneshwar would click bearing boxes of Chhena Poda every now then, which were devoured just about instantaneously. it had been not easily available in Banaras some time past, and that I am not so sure about now, but the lingering taste of burnt pot cheese paired with the sweetness of the syrup makes it quite hard to forget what a Chhena Poda tastes like.
Literally meaning burnt cheese, making a Chhena Poda isn’t as easy because it looks. as long as traditionally it wont to be wrapped within the leaves of the sal tree, and cooked during a coal oven, with baking ovens not becoming a household gadget yet, the method might be time-consuming, taking over nearly four hours to cook.
One also can bake it during an autoclave. However, what’s most vital is to urge the proportions right – this desi cheesecake won't appear as if it’s the beginning of a gourmet patisserie, but it does require precision.
Made by kneading chhena (cottage cheese) and semolina (just enough to bind the dough) alongside sugar, and flavoring with cardamom powder, raisins, and slightly roasted cashews, the primary step to preparing Chhena Poda is to urge fresh chhena, which is completed by curdling the milk, then sieving it through a fine muslin cloth.
Fortunately, most Indian households that believe pot cheese for various recipes are experts in getting the chhena right. then there’s the dark caramel top on the ‘cake’. For that one must melt ghee during a tin on a coffee flame, then add the sugar and begin twirling the pan around to form sure that the combination spreads evenly, alternatively, it might simply collect during a corner.
Famous Cuisine of Odisha
The chhena mix (add the semolina and sugar to the mashed chhena, mix it again in order that it’s soft and crumbly, add within the cardamom powder, raisins, and nuts, and blend it gently again) is then patted down over the caramel, and baked. the ultimate result needs to be this soft cake – sweet and moist.
You can’t quite store Chhena Poda for too long; actually, we might finish it during a day or two. I have, however, stored the sweet within the refrigerator for about five days, always bringing it right down to temperature before serving it.
Experimenting with Chhena
Over time, food enthusiasts have also experimented with different variations of the Chhena Poda. In fact, you'll even add a touch of chocolate powder within the chhena dough and see how that seems.
Or perhaps a touch vanilla essence? I’ve even seen recipes of Chhena Poda made with ricotta, and why not? in any case, this is often our version of the famed cheesecake and doubtless dates much further back.
Most articles and reports on this sweetmeat claim that the Chhena Poda culture began at Nayagarh, a town in Odisha, and dates back to the first 20th century.
Of course, over time it spread across to the various parts of the state, and even to West Bengal, and other parts of India, but not as wide as a number of the opposite Indian sweets. Having said that, the rasgulla that the Bengalis take such pride in is understood to possess originated in Odisha as well!
How to make Chhena Poda
Chhena Poda may be a traditional dessert recipe from Odisha that you simply can bring your family and friends on occasions like kitty party, pot luck, and game night. this is often an easy-to-make sweet dish that is ready using paneer, semolina, raisins, cashews, ghee, and sugar and is baked . This is often a must-try dish for those that crave for sweet dishes.
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Ingredients of Chhena Poda
• 3 cups paneer
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons semolina
• 1/2 handful cashews
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered green cardamom
How to make Chhena Poda
• Step 1
To start with, put a deep-bottomed pan on medium flame and melt ghee in it. Once the ghee is melted, fry cashews in it. Transfer these fried cashews during a plate covered with absorbent paper to soak up the additional oil and keep aside.
• Step 2
Next, take a dough kneading plate and add semolina and paneer in it. Mix the ingredients well for 2-4 minutes then, add 1/2 cup sugar and crushed nuts. Mix well.
• Step 3
Now, place small bowls during a baking tray and add touch ghee alongside sugar in each bowl. Add the paneer and semolina mixture within the bowls and spread the mixture evenly with the assistance of a spatula. Cover the pan with foil paper and bake for 30-40 minutes.
• Step 4
Chhena Poda is prepared, garnish with cardamom powder, and serve warm.
Places to Visit Near Bhubaneswar
2- CHAUSATH YOGINI TEMPLE – HIRAPUR
3- ISKCON Temple – Bhubaneswar
4- Kedar Gouri Temple – Bhubaneswar
5- Aisanyesvara Temple – Bhubaneswar
For More Details please visit - https://www.thekonark.net / http://www.elicitodisha.com/
