The Exotic Chenna Poda / Caramelized Cottage Cheese

If there is one sweet that is famous in orissa as a signature dessert it would be chenna poda. This exotic baked cottage cheese cake is traditionally baked in oven or earthen fire. The burnt smell is awesome and good to taste.The literal meaning of chena poda is burnt cheese; chena is cottage cheese and poda means burnt.

Without wasting a moment try out the recipe and enjoy a mouthwatering dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup grated paneer
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp rava/semolina
• 3 crushed elaichi/cardamom
• 2 tbsp kishmish/dry grape
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

For caramel

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water 

Preparation
Mix the paneer with semolina and knead it till becomes a soft and smooth dough. This process will take approximately 5 min. Now add the sugar, cardamom ,kishmish and baking powder and knead it for 3-4 minutes.Cover and keep it aside for 15 min




In the meantime prepare the caramel.
Heat a non stick pan low flame, add the sugar and let it melt.Shake the pan occasionally to make the sugar melt uniformly.It will become liquid and slow turn to golden brown.Keep a close watch over it otherwise it will burn.Once its caramelized to golden brown add the water and it will start bubbling and again  it will become more liquid.

Now pour the caramel into the baking bowls/tray and spread it quickly as much as possible and keep aside and let it cool.I used four ramekin bowls.

Fill the bowls with the paneer dough , press it uniformly and cover with aluminium foil.

Preheat the oven for 180 degrees, take a big bowl and fill with 1 inch deep water.Place the bowls/tray in this water and bake for 45 - 50 minutes or till it becomes light golden brown, test with a toothpick and it should come out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool, invert the chenna poda out of the bowls in a small plate and serve warm.

Special Paneer Pulao / Cottage Cheese Pilaf

I was looking for different flavored pulao and came across a sanjeev kapoors mushroom paneer pulao. It sounded very interesting as it didnt any khada masala. The key ingredient is crushed coriander seeds and kasuri methi. I skipped the mushrooms as it wasnt available.

One addition I gave to this dish was adding shah jeera.With the blend of all these spices with a soft undertone of paneer makes the rice very flavorful.You can feel it in every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup sweet corn
• 3/4 cup diced paneer cubes
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi
• 1/2 cup sliced onions
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp shahi jeera
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 green chilli
• pinch of turmeric
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Procedure

Soak rice with 2 cups water for one hr. Then discard the water completely and keep aside

Crush the coriander seeds and keep aside

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add shah jeera once it splutter add sliced onions, garlic and saute till onions become translucent.

Now add chilli powder, turmeric, crushed coriander seeds and fry till oil begins to saturate

Add green peas,sweet corn and mix nicely. Add kasuri methi and mix once again

Add the drained rice to above and mix nicely, add 2 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistles, then switch it off. In the meantime in a pan add 1 tsp oil and fry the paneer carefully. Turn the cubes on each side for it to turn golden brown.

Once cooker cools open and mix the rice properly for all the flavor to incorporate. Add the paneer cubes and again mix softly.

Serve immediately

Exotic Mixed Vegetable Curry

We often tend to have a lot of veggies in small quantities and wonder how to use them.Todays recipe is an assortment of veggies cooked in a exotic gravy flavored with some unique indian spices.This dish could surprise your unexpected guests to wonder if you had planned for their visit ;P. I always store paneer for such moments and adding it to this curry will make it really exotic. Enjoy the recipe.
Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups diced vegetables (carrot,potato,beans,peas,sweet corn kernels)
• 1/2 cup diced cottage cheese/paneer
• 2 tbsp oil

To Grind

• 1 tsp dhania/coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp jeera/cummin powder
• 8 cashew nuts
• 2 elaichis
• 3 cloves
• 5 black pepper
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp khuskhus/poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste

Procedure
Make a fine paste of all the ingredients to grind and keep aside. Make a fine paste of onions and tomatoes and keep aside.Sprinkle some water on the chopped veggies and microwave for 4 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan, add onion tomato paste and fry till oil begins to saturate, now add the paste prepared earlier for gravy and fry till the rawness is gone and oil begins to saturate again. Now add the cooked vegetables and stir for 2 minutes nicely.Add enough water and close with a lid and let it cook on sim for 10-15 minutes.Then add cottage cheese and stir nicely and cook for 2 more minutes until it completely blends. Your mixed vegetable curry is ready. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Tasty Paneer Paratha with Zesty Hari Chutney

Stuffed Parathas can made in many different variations . They are very healthy and loved by children and can be had for breakfast and dinner. This version with paneer has a unique softness that can simply make you enjoy every bite.

Hari chutney is the perfect accompaniment for these paneer parathas which have a mild flavor. Coriander is blended with some unique aromatic spices that make it more zesty. 

Preparation Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Serves: 6 parathas

Ingredients:

• 2 cups atta
• 1/4 tsp ajwain
• 1/2 tsp oil
• pinch of salt

For stuffing

• 1 cup grated paneer/cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup fine chopped onions
• 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander
• 4 finely chopped green chillies
• 1/2 inch grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp amchur powder
• salt to taste

Preparation

Making Dough for paratha

Take flour,mix salt and ajwain to it then add three-fourth cup of warm water gradually, knead to make a smooth dough. And keep aside for 15 min.

To make filling

Mix all the above ingredients of filling nicely and keep aside

Making the paratha

Break the dough in 6 equal portions,roll each portion in a ball and flatten it by pressing.

Place 1 1/2 table spoon of stuffing on it and enclose it.Seal the edges completely so that stuffing does not come out.

Flatten again, sprinkle a little flour and roll them with a rolling pin to approximately six-inch diameter.

Heat a frying pan(tawa), place paratha on it and cook on moderate heat for three minutes.

Turn it and pour half a tablespoon of oil, spread it on paratha and shallow fry over low heat.

Turn it and again pour half a tablespoon of oil on other side, cook on low heat till golden brown

Serve hot with fresh coriander chutney

Hari Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 big bunch corainder leaves
• 1 small chopped tomato
• 4-5 garlic pods
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1/2 tsp cummin/jeera seeds
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• 1/4 tsp amchur powder
• 2 green chillies
• pinch of asafoetida/hing
• salt to taste

Procedure

Blend all the above ingredients into a fine paste and serve with any stuffed paratha