Wednesday 25 May 2016

Chhenapoda - Uncommon Food


The state of Odisha in India boasts of many unique dishes. Chhenapoda is such an uncommon food that interests the foodie in me. 
In Odia language, Chhena means ‘cottage cheese’ and Poda means ‘burnt’. Chhenapoda literally means ‘burnt cheese’. When one thinks of home-made soft cottage cheese, one can never think such an uncommon dish can be prepared out of it, unless one has tasted Chhenapoda and the other similar uncommon foods. While Chhenapoda is available in many places in Odisha, it is yet to have a national presence and identity unlike the Rasagola that was born in Odisha too and has links with Lord Jagannath, Maa Lakshmi & the Puri Temple, but is very famous both in India and abroad.


Chhenapoda looks like a soft, caramelized pudding or cake with brownish black covering. Don’t go by its burnt looks as it tastes divine. It was first created in the twentieth century by inventors Bidyadhar Sahu and his son Sudarshan Sahu in Nayagarh, Odisha. Their experiment, to put the excess chhena to use, worked. It became popular as many places in Odisha followed their recipe and process. It is baked with coal. These days, Chhenapoda is even prepared at homes by using the modern gadgets- microwave, oven & pressure-cooker etc.

Ingredients for the Chhenapoda:

For the Chhena or Cottage Cheese:
1.5 Litres milk
Curd, Whey or Lemon juice

For the Chhenapoda:
2 cups Chhena or Cottage Cheese
2 cups Sugar powdered
4 tbsp Semolina/Sooji
4 Cardamoms powdered
1 tbsp Cashew nuts
1 tbsp Raisins
1 tbsp Sugar for Caramel
2 tbsp Ghee

Preparation of Chhena:
Boil milk. When it starts boiling, simmer and add curd, whey, or lemon juice. Milk curdles and Chhena separates. Boil for a minute and switch off the flame. Sieve the Chhena through a strainer. Tie in a dhoti cloth and let the water drain out.
Preparation of Caramel:
Melt Ghee on a low flame, add the sugar and twirl the pan around to spread the Caramel evenly.

Method of Preparation of the Chhenapoda:
Knead the Chhena and Semolina (added to bind the dough.)

Add the Sugar, powdered Cardamom, Raisins & Cashew-nuts to the mashed Chhena. Knead them all together. Place the mixture on the Caramel, and bake. 

This uncommon soft food is the result. 
Slice and serve it hot or cold & eat!

I feel Chhenapoda needs to graduate from being uncommon to being available everywhere. An enhanced shelf-life will help. This traditional cake must be the first choice on birthdays, anniversaries and other such special occasions. With its great taste, Chhenapoda has a great potential to entice all and earn the adulation and fame it deserves.

I went on a trip down the memory lane recollecting uncommon foods thanks to the culinary stars, Vikas & Vir, talking about their #Foodventures. 

Have you ever tried Chhenapoda? Which is the uncommon food that you have experienced? Please share your views in the comments below.

Saturday 21 May 2016

That Touch

When she refused to marry the groom,
As his family demanded dowry that day,
In the marriage-hall there was gloom,
The groom & his family walked away.

Onlookers felt she was being foolish,
Rejecting a groom with high market value!
How to make a bride & her family realize this-
The groom has been groomed to extract his due!

"Now who will marry this girl?" wondered all.
A smart gentleman was promptly on the stage.
He walked up to the bride, cool, confident & tall,
And taking her hand in his, he proposed marriage.
Writing Prompt

Thursday 19 May 2016

Inheritance

When the billionaire old man died, many were fanatical about his will.

On hearing the news, his heir, his only grandson, arrived galloping on his horse, expecting an enchanting twist in his life.

three line tales week 16 – letterbox
Picture Prompt- photo by Kirsty TG

Monday 16 May 2016

League Of Lost Things

I have many clips & earrings left lonely,
As the other ones in the pairs are lost.
I can babble about many other things,
Thinking of my loss as I paid a heavy cost...

Those stamps, coins, paint-boxes, brushes,
Copies, purses, crayons, pencils, erasers, pens...
The loss seems fresh as if it happened now;
Loss of those is no more in the past tense.

League of Lost Things

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Pitha - Dessert With A Twist

The state of Odisha in India has many festivals where amazing sweets and treats are prepared and served. Pitha is a sweet that is a common treat as every festival has some variety of Pitha. There are many types of Pithas based on the ingredients used and the preparation style. I love Muduka Pitha. 

Muduka Pitha of Odisha, India
Here is the recipe for the Muduka Pitha. 

Ingredients for the Muduka Pitha:

For the Dough:
4 cups Wheat Flour (Atta)
2 cups Sugar 
½ litre Refined Oil 

For the Stuffing:
1 cup Grated Coconut
½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Cardamom

Sunday 8 May 2016

Mom, I Promise

Mom, I promise-
I'll try to fulfill your wish.

I'll try more & play fair & square,
Value my time & self-respect everywhere.

Sensibly, I will knock or open the doors,
Not end up being unfair or settling scores!

I am no more brooding or living in the past;
Just revisiting to make your memories last.

Sculpting a better me, scrutinizing with a lens,
Doing your job in the four years of your absence...

I miss you & your guidance so much, what to say or do?
Mom, I promise I remember & will always think of you.

This post was selected as  a WOW post HERE.
Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms!

What are your promises to your Mom? Do you take extra care of your Mom during Mother's Day?

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.
WOW- Mom I Promise
Five Minute Friday

Friday 6 May 2016

Quite Queer

They said her brain was damaged as it could not sense light and darkness, suffered serious seizures, and would quietly lose its existence like a sand-dune.
three line tales, week 14
Picture Prompt- TLT 14 photo by Fabio Rose
Queerly, no one neither valued her vivid imagination nor understood her except for her best friend, her dear pet deer.

Picture Prompt- photo by Tom Chambers
She felt quite often that everyone had damaged brains as they never made any quest to acknowledge the presence of her pet deer no matter how much effort she made!

Linking with-
ABC Wednesday - Q for Quietly, Queerly, Quite, Quest

Thursday 5 May 2016

The Secret

Unselfish, she shared what she thought she knew.
Had gathered the info from reliable sources
I took it with a pinch of salt; nothing new!
Whether it was true was anyone's guess!

"It's a secret!" she said rolling her eyes.
"Don't reveal to anyone; I trust you!"
I felt burdened with trust (or was it lies?)
Why chosen to bite more than I can chew?
A secret is something that everyone tells everyone not to tell anyone!
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