Chhena Tadia

Chhena Tadiya is a traditional sweet treat and one of the 56 offerings which is offered to Lord Jagannath. This is a milk sweet, which is prepared from freshly curdled milk.

Ingredients:

½ gallon Milk 

1 cup Sugar

1 ½ cup water

Cardamom 

Lemon Juice

Saffron (optional)

Ghee

Number of pieces: 15 

Instruction 

1. In a large steel pot, bring the milk to a boil and add 2 tbsp of lemon juice.

2. Cook until the milk curdles.

3. Turn off the heat to prevent overcooking the curdled chhena.

4. Strain the chhena from the curdled liquid using a muslin cloth and squeeze out all excess water.

5. In a separate thick-bottomed pan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 ½ cups water. Bring it to a boil.

6. Add 4-5 crushed cardamom pods and a pinch of saffron. Continue boiling until the syrup reaches a one-string consistency.

7. Stir in 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice, then switch off the heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

8. In a flat bowl, gently knead the curdled chhena with the palm of your hand until smooth and lump-free. Add 1 tsp of sugar and cardamom powder, and knead again to make the mixture soft and smooth.

9. Shape the dough into small balls and flatten them into ring shapes, ensuring there are no cracks on the surface.

10. In a kadhai, heat ghee over medium flame and fry the rings.

11. Fry them until golden brown on all sides, turning each side every 2-3 minutes.

12. Once fried, drain the rings from the ghee and immediately dip them into the lukewarm sugar syrup. If the syrup is too thick, add a little warm water to thin it out.

13. Let the Chhena Tadiya rest for 5-6 hours or overnight.

14. These delicious Chhena Tadiya (or Chhena Donuts) are now ready for offering.