Chhena Poda / Easy Indian Cheesecake

Chhena Poda, an easy Indian cheesecake, is delicious, super moist, delicate, and melts in the mouth! It is one of the most straightforward recipes but incredibly delightful.

Chhena Poda means Roasted Cheese, and it is a popular dessert from the Indian state of Odisha. This soft and delicate dessert is made from chhena, an excellent protein source.

Jump to:

• About Chhena Poda
• Why Will You Love To Make Chhena Poda
• About The Milk For Making Chhena
• Ingredients For Chhena Poda
• Step-by-Step Directions
• Serving and Storing Suggestions
• Helpful Tips
• More Desserts
• Recipe Card

About Chhena Poda

I was introduced to this delicacy by one of my friends. She invited us to her husband’s birthday, and she made a Chhena Poda cake for the birthday. I was stunned by this dessert’s simplicity and decided to try it. 

I researched this recipe, read cooking books, and tried it a few times differently. Finally, I came up with this recipe, which is more flavorful, pillowy, soft, and melts in the mouth. However, I would not say that this is a classic version since I tweaked the recipe a bit.

I did not include sugar caramelization; I baked the cake until golden brown on top instead. The sides were dark brown, and the bottom had brown spots. Also, I added saffron and rose essence for more delicate flavors.

I love that this cheesecake is all about Chhena with only a bit of semolina. It is a simple, delicate, moist, and incredibly delicious dessert. We can make it a reason for celebration, festivals, or just for craving.

About The Milk For Making Chhena

The essential element of this recipe is milk. Do not use low-fat milk. The reasons are:

1. Low-fat milk will not yield enough amount of chhena.
2. Chhena will not be creamy with low-fat milk, so the cake will not be creamy and soft.
3. Because of the low fat, chhena becomes rubbery and does not taste pleasant in dessert recipes.

So, for this recipe, we need full-fat milk. But what if you do not have full-fat milk or if it’s not available in your grocery store? No worries; I listened to you and got your answer. If I talk about myself, we only use milk with 2% fat at home. But I always mix some cream into milk to make chhena or Paneer at home. Also, when I make some milk-based desserts, I combine milk and cream.

If you use 2% milk, use 1 Litre for this recipe. Combine the milk with 1 Litre of 10% cream (half and half). You will get a very soft and creamy chhena. This way, we will get 2 cups of Chhena or maybe a little more than two cups. The chhena will be creamier and melt in the mouth.

Ingredients For Chhena Poda

This recipe requires few ingredients and is made from scratch. We can also make this recipe with store-bought Paneer, but I do not recommend that. We need moist chhena to make this cake soft, moist, and delicate. Making Chhena at home is incredibly easy, and it’s fun, too.

1. Milk: Milk is the essential element of this recipe. Use full-fat or whole milk to make chhena, and do not use low-fat milk.
2. White Vinegar: I always use white vinegar to make chhena or Paneer. But you can also use lemon or lime juice. If using lemon or lime juice, make sure to strain the liquid to remove any seeds or fiber.
3. Sugar: I have used ½ cup organic cane sugar for 2 cups of Chhena. We will get a moderately sweet cake with this much sugar. Add less or more sugar as per your taste. After mixing sugar and semolina into chhena, you can taste the batter. And if you require more sugar, add more, a tablespoon at a time. You can also taste the batter after mixing milk into the batter and then adjust the sweetness. You can use raw sugar, white sugar, or jaggery powder, as you prefer.
4. Semolina (Rava / Suji): I found semolina is very important in this recipe. We use only 2 tablespoon of semolina, greatly affecting the cake’s texture. I tried Chhena Poda without semolina, too. But the cake came better with using semolina. Semolina provides structure to this cheesecake and binds it well. It absorbs extra moisture and makes tight crumbs. Also, it will be soaked up, making the Chhena Poda soft and creamier. I have used coarse semolina, but you can also use fine semolina.
5. Milk: The batter of Chhena Poda should not be too thin or too thick. It should be like a thick cake batter but very soft and light. So, we must add the milk as required to achieve the right consistency. I had to add 5 tablespoon of milk. So when you add milk, add only a tablespoon of milk at a time. And keep adding until you get the right consistency.  
6. Saffron: I love saffron in desserts, especially Indian desserts. It provides a beautiful color and appearance to the dish and adds a warm and pleasant flavor. It is totally optional but highly recommended.
7. Rose Essence or Rosewater: I have used the Rose essence in this recipe, but you can substitute it with rosewater. If you do not have any, skip it. But let me tell you, it adds such a beautiful and delicate flavor that it will take this dessert to a different level. So again, I will highly recommend using this element if you can.
8. Cardamom Powder: Only a pinch of cardamom powder will go a long way. Do not add too much cardamom powder if you are using rose essence or rosewater. Otherwise, it will overpower the cheesecake’s flavor. But using a pinch means we can taste the rose, saffron, and cardamom flavors equally.
9. Salt: Generally, this recipe doesn’t call for salt. But adding a pinch of salt will enhance all the flavors and will balance the sweetness. So do not hesitate to add just a pinch of salt.
10. Pistachios: I love pistachios, and they look beautiful and make this decadent cheesecake very appealing. But you can choose the nuts of your preference. Feel free to use cashews or almonds. I did not add any nuts to the batter because I wanted my cake to be soft and melted in the mouth. But if you wish, add some chopped nuts to the batter.

Step-by-Step Directions

Making Chhena

• Bring milk to a boil in a thick bottom pan, stirring continuously.

• Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat.
• Then, add white vinegar or lime juice.

• The milk will be curdled, and greenish whey will be separated.

• Pour this curdled milk into a pan lined with cotton or muslin cloth.
• Also, we can strain through the strainer with tiny pores.

• Pour some cold water onto this chhena to wash out the taste of the vinegar.
• Do not pour too much water.

• Gently squeeze out the water.
• Do not squeeze too much, as the chhena should be moist. 

• Let the chhena cool enough to handle.

Making Chhena Poda Batter

• Dissolve the saffron strands in a few drops of water and set the mixture aside. 

• With 2 liters of milk, I got 2 cups of Chhena.
• Take prepared Chhena into a mixing bowl.

• Mash the chhena with your hands and knead it until it is smooth.
• There should be no lumps or big crumbs remaining in the chhena.

• Add sugar and semolina into the smoothened chhena.

• Mix the Chhena, sugar, and semolina well with your hands.
• The mixture will start getting light and wet, like a paste.
• It will be sticky, but continue mixing for 3-4 minutes until you get a very soft mixture.
• For me, ½ cup of sugar was enough to make moderately sweet Chhena Poda. Then, you can taste the batter and add more sugar if required.

• Now add dissolved saffron, cardamom powder, rose essence or Rosewater, and a pinch of salt.
• Mix well.

• Then add milk; first, add a tablespoon of milk and continue adding as needed.
• The batter should not be very thin or too thick. It will be like a thick cake batter but soft and very light.
• I needed to add 5 tablespoon of milk. So, depending on your batter consistency, add more or less.

• Mix well, cover the bowl, and rest it for at least 15 minutes.

Baking The Cheesecake

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Prepare a 6-inch baking pan, grease it with ghee or butter, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Also, grease parchment paper lightly.

• After 15 minutes, stir the batter and recheck the consistency.
• Because of resting time, the semolina will soak up some of the moisture and puff up. So, if needed, add extra milk, maybe a tablespoon. Mix well.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
• Sprinkle chopped pistachio on top of the batter.

• Bake this cake for 40-60 minutes.
• The time largely varies because it depends on the batter’s consistency, and the baking time will vary because each oven is different.
• So make sure to keep an eye on the cake after 30 minutes. Bake it until the skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• I had to bake my cake for 55 minutes.

• Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• After the cake cools, remove it gently from the baking pan.
• Next, remove the parchment paper and invert the cake.

• Slice the cake and serve.

Serving and Storing Suggestions

• Chhena Poda is best served on its own. Or, to make it more decadent, serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• This easy Indian Cheese Cake is best served on the same day. But this cake stays at room temperature for only a day in a cool place.
• However, if you want to keep it for a more extended time, keep it tightly covered and place it in the fridge. It will stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Desserts

Recipe Card