CHENA PODA (PANEER CAKE)

Chena poda means baked cheese in Oria. Yes, this delicacy belongs to temple cuisine of Oddisha. Chena Poda is Lord Jagganath’s favourite Prasad. Here in Oddisha, desserts & sweets are mostly based on Chena like West Bengal. Key ingredients of this sweet is home made paneer & cashew nuts.
Ingredients:
1 cup chena ( fresh home made paneer)
1 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp semolina
1/3 cup sugar ( powdered)
1 tbsp ghee

Method:
1. Fry cashew nuts in ghee.
2. Crumble paneer in a bowl , add semolina, sugar & cardamom powder, mix & knead.
3. Knead until it becomes soft.
4. Then add fried cashew nuts & knead again.
5. Grease moulds or baking tray & sprinkle sugar & in pre heat oven, keep those moulds for 10 minutes at 180°.
6. Then fill with ready paneer press it properly & bake it for about 20 minutes at 180° or till paneer is baked light brown.
7. Serve warm.

Note:
1. Can use rice flour instead of semolina.
2. Traditionally, they bake this on banana leaves.
3. You can add little milk, if paneer seems dry.