Ingredients:
- 1 kg fresh cottage cheese or chenna
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup semolina or sooji
- 1 cup ghee or clarified butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- Chopped nuts for garnishing
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a round cake tin with ghee or butter and dust it with semolina.
In a mixing bowl, crumble the fresh cottage cheese or chenna and add sugar. Mix well until the sugar dissolves and the chenna becomes smooth.
Add semolina, ghee, milk, cardamom powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix well to form a smooth and thick batter.
Pour the batter into the greased cake tin and spread it evenly. Tap the cake tin gently to remove any air bubbles.
Sprinkle chopped nuts over the top for garnishing.
Bake the chenna poda in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes or until the top turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake tin from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
Run a knife around the edges of the chenna poda to loosen it from the tin.
Invert the chenna poda onto a serving plate and cut it into slices.
Your delicious and authentic chenna poda is ready to serve. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature as a dessert or a sweet snack.
Pro Tips:
Making Fresh Cottage Cheese: Using fresh cottage cheese or chenna is key to making a delicious chenna poda. You can make fresh cottage cheese at home by boiling milk and curdling it with lemon juice or vinegar. The fresher the cheese, the better the taste.
Choosing the Right Semolina: Choose fine semolina or sooji for making chenna poda. Coarser semolina can result in a grainy texture.
Consistency of the Batter: The consistency of the batter is important to get the right texture of the chenna poda. The batter should be thick and smooth. If it's too thin, add more semolina. If it's too thick, add more milk.
Adding Cardamom Powder: Adding cardamom powder enhances the flavor of the chenna poda. Crush the cardamom seeds and use only the powder to get the best flavor.
Greasing and Dusting the Cake Tin: Grease the cake tin generously with ghee or butter and dust it with semolina. This prevents the chenna poda from sticking to the tin.
Baking Time and Temperature: Baking time and temperature may vary depending on the oven. Keep an eye on the chenna poda while it's baking. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.
Cooling Time: Let the chenna poda cool for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices. This allows the cake to set properly and makes it easier to cut.
Serving Suggestions: Serve chenna poda warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. You can also garnish it with chopped nuts like almonds or pistachios.