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, or Whey

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 or whey. Milk curdles and Chhena separates. Boil for a minute and switch off the flame. Sieve the Chhena through a strainer. Tie in a dhoti or gamuchha 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.

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

Sweet And Spicy

I love sweet and spicy food. When I think of ‘sweet and spicy’, many memories come flooding. I especially love ‘Dahibara Aludum’ and ‘Gupchup’ (i.e. Panipuri or Golgappa).

I was very small when I was introduced to Dahibara Aludum, a famous dish of Odisha. 

Dahibara Aludum

My maternal grandfather and subsequently my father treated us to the Dahibara Aludum prepared by Raghu, a much-in- demand Dahibara Aludum maker & seller. Raghu sold his yummy fare in front of Barabati Stadium of Cuttack - the venue of many important cricket-matches.

Famous for Dabhibara Aludum- Raghu, Cuttack, Odisha

I still remember the very first time I had taken a bite of this delightful dish! Apart from majorly satisfying my taste-buds, Dahibara Aludum also encouraged the serious thinker in me. As my spoon pierced into the fair and tender Dahibara’s flesh, I wondered how can something be so soft and yet retain its shape without breaking. Later, I wondered, how can any fried item maintain uniform fairness and not have burn injuries! 

Dahibara, Cuttack, Odisha

By itself, the Dahibara dipped in the curd-water tastes sweet. Though most vendors do not add sugar in the Dahibara or the curd-water, yet it tastes sweet perhaps because of the natural sugar-content in the milk that is used for curd-preparation. The Dahibara is sweet only if one hasn’t added the hot and spicy chilly powder on top of it; such addition turns it spicy.

Also, there is the spicy Aludum, easy to tear, that is served along with Dahibara. One bite of Aludum and you can sense the rich spices lingering in your mouth. Together they are a super cool sweet and spicy combination that anyone can eat without any tantrum!

On one occasion, being an over-zealous spice-lover, I had added extra chilly powder on my Dahibara serving. Ah! Fiery hot and spicy! I had to have water then! Having been in the same situation earlier, my understanding family stepped in to help me! I was offered fresh Dahibara and curd-water. I gobbled one Dahibara up and drank a whole bowl full of curd-water, but still the effect of the spice magic persisted in my mouth! That’s when I had to resort to sweet Peda- a sweet that is sold near Dahibara Aludum to control such emergency!

Peda

When I was small, when Raghu brought his treats, they got over within less time as many Dahibara Aludum lovers like us were eagerly waiting! Not much has changed after all these years. Though Raghu has changed his address and his grandsons handle the business now at Bidanasi, his Dahibara Aludum tastes the same and there are still eager foodies waiting to lap it all up within no time! The twin-cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar boast of yummy Dahibara Aludum that’s available on major roads and areas. Served by vendors on cycles or hand-carts, you cannot miss this filling and appetizing snack that doubles up as a meal!

Also, Gupchup (i.e. Paanipuri or Golgappa) is a must-try when you visit Odisha. Many varieties of Gupchup are available. In an incident similar to my above Dahibara experience, I had zealously asked the vendor to add extra green chillies and spicy powder in the potato mixture served as filling inside the Gupchup balls or puri. The dish became very spicy. Then, the vendor dipped the Gupchup into sweet and refreshing jaggery-water- syrup infused with mint and tamarind. Aha!

My sweet and spicy memories got triggered when I came across the culinary stars, Vikas & Vir, talking about their #Foodventures. Vir’s video featuring Alubukhara Dahi Tikki and Vikas’s video with Lobster Thermidor are #Foodventures that sweet and spicy food-lovers like me would love to try.

I love such sweet and spicy concoctions, don’t you?

Which is your favourite sweet and spicy food? Please share your views in the comments section below.

My 5 Malaysia Experiences

I have always dreamt to visit Malaysia & earn memories to last a lifetime.

5 Things I Want To Experience In Malaysia: 

The Cake-Drive

I call my daughter Supergirl as she has super-powers! Like my Superman husband, she also supports me and encourages me to achieve more and more and improve my score! I feel I can take on the world with them by my side! Seeing their unwavering faith in me & lots of admiration for my skills, makes me feel powerful & like He-Man, I say- ‘I HAVE THE POWER!’

Recently I learnt driving at Driving School. Supergirl was most insistent that I drive our Car! She wanted to display her ‘Cool-Driver-Mom’ to her friends! I got my Driving License too, but was yet to drive our Car! 

Today morning, I was dusting our Car's interiors, when Supergirl resolutely sat down on the front seat and said, "Mamma, Let us go for a drive! Long drive pe chal!" 

I laughed it off as I had no guts to drive our Car! I was scared and hesitant to do so without an instructor or hubby dear by my side... The fear that bogged me down was- “What if I scratch our Car?” I myself was surprised at this thought as such a positive person like me had this negative thought! Hubby dear, Superman, had already assured me that he wouldn’t be the least cross if I ever did scratch our Car! 

Supergirl was persistent. "Mamma, Let us go NOW! You already have your License, please use it!" She had more faith in my capability! 

“Call Papa!” I implored.