Easy method to make Chena poda

Ingredients:

Milk : 1 1/2 ltrs

Sugar : 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder : 1 tsp

Bombay ravva : 2 tsp

Baking powder : 1 tsp

Raisins ( chopped ) : 2 tsp

Cashew ( chopped ) : 2 tsp

Pistachio ( chopped ) : 1 tsp

Ghee / Butter for greasing

Method :

Making panner:

Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan in medium heat. Stir in between to prevent from sticking it to the bottom.

As the milk boils, gradually add the lime juice and stir. You will notice that the milk gets curdled into white solids and whey gets separated now turn off the heat.

Strain the curdled milk through a sieve lined with cheese cloth or a piece of muslin cloth.

Press the chena to take out the whey. Now the chena would be very hot. Run cold water through the chena. It helps to remove the smell of lime juice from the chena as well as prevent the chena from getting hard.

Tie the chana in the muslin cloth and hang it for 15-20 min, so that the water drains out.

But make sure you do not drain it for too long and the chena does not get too dry. It should be moist enough to knead it smoothly.

Now a take cake mould ( baking tray ), apply ghee to it.

Now take a bowl add all ingredients ( expect milk as we made panner with milk ) to panner and combine well.

Add this mixture to cake mould and cover it with butter paper.

Keep this in Oven at 175 degrees for 45 minutes.

Insert a toothpick or a knife at the center of the baked chena, if it comes out clean then your chena poda is done. If you found sticky chena mixture on the toothpick or knife then bake it for some more time.

Let it cool down, take it out on a plate, cut into slices and serve.