Name: Chenna Poda - Baked Cottage Cheese Cake from Odisha recipe by Alka Jena at BetterButter
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: For chhena or cottage cheese:; Juice of 2 lemons; 3 litre milk; For Chhena Poda:; Chhena made out of 3 ltrs of milk; 1 tsp cardamoms powder; 1 tbsp raisins; 2 tbsp warm milk or whey; 2 cups sugar; 1 tbsp cashew nuts

ABOUT Chenna Poda - Baked Cottage Cheese Cake from Odisha RECIPE

If cheesecakes were the domain of the western world, well, let me to introduce to you the quintessential Odia dessert called Chhenapoda – this well known Indian dessert derives its flavour primarily from caramelised sugar.

Instructions

Boil the milk in a deep vessel. Simmer and add lemon juice when the milk starts boiling. Turn off the heat.
Curdling will happen and you will see the chhena separating from the water. Boil for a minute and turn off the flame.
Sieve the chhena through a strainer lined with muslin cloth. Keep the whey aside.
Crumble and mash the chhena when it is still warm with the help of a spatula till smooth.
Fry cashew nuts and raisins lightly to give a richer taste to the preparation.
Add sugar, cardamom powder and fried cashew nuts and raisins to the chhena. Add 2 tablespoon of milk or whey to it and mix well in a blender till smooth.
Grease a baking tin with ghee or butter.
Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar and heat the pan. Once the sugar starts getting caramelized, switch off the flame and tilt the baking pan so that its base is well covered with caramel syrup.
Now spread evenly using a flat spatula.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 45 minutes till the top turns brown or in Microwave in convention mode at 180 degree for 40 to 45 minutes.
Insert a tooth pick in the center. It should come out clean. If it is wet, bake for 5 more minutes.
Run a knife through the sides and invert the cooking tin on a plate as soon as it is out of the oven. Any delay will make the sugar at the base of the tin harder making it difficult to come out intact.
Slice the Chhena Poda and serve hot or cold.

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