Do You Want To Know About Chenapoda?

About Chhenapoda

Chhenapoda is an iconic dessert of Odisha that is prepared using chhena. In Odia language, Chhena means ‘cottage cheese’ and Poda means ‘burnt’. Chhenapoda literally means ‘burnt cheese’.

Chhenapoda looks like a cake with light brownish or dark brownish covering. When home-made soft and fresh cottage cheese undergoes the traditional process of being slow roasted/baked after being mixed with sugar or jaggery and a little bit of the flavoring agents, the end result is the Chhenapoda.

Chhenapoda was first created in Daspalla in Nayagarh district, Odisha, in the twentieth century by a royal sweetmaker named Bidyadhar Sahoo. One day, when there was excess Chhena, his wife, Jemamani, and he decided to experiment by trying to set it akin to a “Chhena Podapitha”. Podapitha is a traditional cake-type dish that is prepared using a batter made of rice etc. The couple used chhena and sugar and wrapped the mixture in Sal leaves and left it overnight baking it using coal in their traditional oven. The next morning, they tasted it and loved their creation!

Their experiment, to put the excess chhena to use, worked! Chhenapoda was born! The dish charmed all and was sold and promoted by his second son Sudarshan Sahoo in Nayagarh, Odisha. As it became popular, there were many orders. Soon, many places in Odisha followed their recipe and process.

Bidyadhar Sahoo’s eldest son, Goura Chandra Sahoo and his descendants, are still preparing and selling Chhenapoda in Daspalla, thereby keeping the heritage alive. December 31st is being celebrated as “Chhenapoda Dibasa” - “Chhenapoda Day” to pay tribute to Bidyadhar Sahoo on his death anniversary. Also, there have been advocacy and efforts to replace cake with Chhenapoda , thereby consciously and proudly including Chhenapoda for events and celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries, inaugurations etc.

We at Crecta Foods celebrate Chhenapoda everyday!