Chenna Poda is a delicious dessert from the Oriya cuisine. It is a traditional dessert made with chenna or fresh paneer. Chenna is cottage cheese and Poda means burnt. So, Chenna Poda literally means burnt cheesecake. The fresh cottage cheese is baked with sugar for several hours before it turns brown and caramelizes.
Chenna Poda is found everywhere in Odisha. From small traditional roadside stalls to confectioners to restaurants, Chenna Poda is served throughout the state.
The smoky, burnt Chenna Poda is a melt-in-mouth delicacy.