Chenna poda with purti vanaspati

Chenna Poda
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 148kcal

Introduction:
Chenna Poda is a delightful blend of simple ingredients transformed into a culinary delight. The star of the show is, of course, chenna, which is made by curdling milk and then pressing the resulting cheese curds to remove excess moisture. This fresh cheese is then mixed with sugar, semolina, and a touch of cardamom for fragrance. The mixture is baked in a lined baking dish until it develops a beautiful caramelized crust, giving it a distinctive smoky-sweet flavor.

Ingredients:
• 500 grams chenna (fresh cheese), crumbled
• 250 grams sugar
• 50 grams semolina (sooji/rava)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons Purti Vanaspati, melted
• A few cashews and almonds, chopped (optional) |

Equipment:
• 9-inch round baking dish
• Parchment paper or banana leaves

Instructions:
• Prepare the baking dish: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line the baking dish with parchment paper or banana leaves, ensuring that it covers the bottom and sides. Grease the lining with a little melted Purti Vanaspati.

• Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the crumbled chenna, sugar, semolina, and cardamom powder. Mix well until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes smooth.

• Add Purti Vanaspati: Pour the melted Purti Vanaspati over the mixture and mix thoroughly.

• Bake the Chenna Poda: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with chopped cashews and almonds, if desired.

• Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

• Cool and serve: Remove the Chenna Poda from the oven and let it cool completely in the baking dish. Once cooled, cut it into slices and serve.