Chhena Poda

The culinary battle between the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha over which was the true birthplace of the Rosogolla took on a contentious hue. After the Geographical Indication (GI) Registry recognised West Bengal as the authentic origin state (for the Banglar variety of the sweet), Odisha became ever eager to get the GI certification for its next best sweetmeat in line: Chhena Poda (an Indian sweet cheese dish).

Compared to other Indian sweets, Chhena Poda’s invention is rather recent. The dish can be traced back to the iconic year of 1947 (coincides with the year that India got her freedom from British rule). In a pleasant accident, Sudarshan Sahu, hailing from a lesser-known Odiya town of Nayagarh, mixed some leftover Chhena with bits of seasoning and sugar and placed it in a still-hot stove. The result was way more fortuitous than he could imagine. The heat transformed the outer layer of the sweetmeat into a smoky, crispy layer (blackened at the edges to add the essence of char). Its outer bitter-sweet flavour undercut the inner soft, silky, sugary core, hence providing the perfect mouthfeel.

The flawless lovechild of Rosogolla and cheesecake, the Chhena Poda has a special status in Odisha and neighbouring East Indian states. Ingredients like chhena, sugar, semolina, and various nuts like cashews and almonds form the building blocks of this dish. They are mixed and kneaded into a dough. It is then wrapped in Sal leaves (another culinary nuance typical of Odisha, where the abundant Sal vegetation is inculcated into the local cuisine, specifically for baking purposes) and then placed into a hot oven with charcoal. The constant influx of heat crispens the outer layer while keeping the inner ones moist. The use of Sal is especially crucial in this process because their protective layer tempers the heat transfer, enabling the formation of a perfect outer crust.

The dish is a standard offering in Odiya cities during Durga Puja. Be it small scale roadside food establishments or high-end restaurants, the Chhena Poda is a common feature on menus in Odisha. In fact, the sweetmeat is offered to Lord Jagannath along with the other popular Odisha staple, Khaja (a fried sweet croquette of sorts).

The fact that Chhena Poda is an aesthetic descendant of the cheesecake, proves that the foreign dessert left its influence during the British Raj and was swiftly localised through makeshift resources available to the Indians.