IndianChhena jhili
Fried cheese patties in syrup
ଛେନା ଝିଲି: Nimapara's soft fried chhena patties soaked in light syrup
Chhena jhili comes from Nimapara near Puri in Odisha, where sweet shops fry these flat, oval chhena patties all day for pilgrims heading to and from the Jagannath temple. They are soft and spongy, golden-brown outside and creamy within, soaked in a thin syrup scented with cardamom, and are eaten at Rath Yatra, weddings and any good-news visit. The common mistake is using dry, crumbly chhena; it should be moist enough to press into a smooth patty without cracks, so hang it for no more than 30 minutes. Chef's tip: fry in ghee rather than oil for the true Odia flavour, keeping the heat gentle so the outside stays golden, not dark.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 390 kcal
Ingredients
For the chhena
- 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 3 tbsp lemon juicemixed with 3 tbsp water
For the dough
- 1 tbsp fine semolina
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
For the syrup
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 2 cups water
To fry
- 1 ¾ cups ghee for frying
Tick what you have; the rest goes in the basket.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Bring 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil, cool 1 minute, add 3 tbsp lemon juice gradually until the whey runs clear, then strain, rinse and hang the chhena for 30 minutes.
40 minStep 2: Knead the chhena with 1 tbsp fine semolina, 1 tbsp plain flour, 1 tsp sugar and ¼ tsp ground cardamom for 6–8 minutes until smooth and soft.
8 minStep 3: Shape into 12 smooth ovals about 1.5 cm thick.
8 minStep 4: Simmer 10 ½ oz sugar and 2 cups water for 5 minutes into a thin syrup with no string and keep it warm.
6 minStep 5: Heat 1 ¾ cups ghee for frying in a kadhai or deep pan, filling it no more than a third of the way, to 300°F; a pinch of dough or batter dropped in should rise slowly with small bubbles. Never leave the hot fat unattended.
5 minStep 6: Fry 4–5 patties at a time over low-medium heat for 6–7 minutes, turning once, until evenly golden-brown.
20 minStep 7: Slip them into the warm syrup and soak 30 minutes, until they look plump and glossy. Serve warm.
30 min
KrazyBadal
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Chana masala
A North Indian staple that comes together from the store cupboard. Toasted cumin, slow-softened onion and a good spoonful of garam masala give tinned chickpeas real depth. Serve with rice, naan or a stack of warm rotis.
Kaju curryCashew curry
Walk along any wedding buffet in Pune, Mumbai or Ahmedabad and there is usually a chafing dish of kaju curry near the paneer, with guests going back for seconds. Whole cashews are fried in ghee until golden, which makes them crunchy outside and buttery inside, then folded into a rich onion and tomato gravy thickened with more cashews, finished with cream and kasuri methi. The gravy is orange, smooth and rounded with a touch of sweetness; it should taste of roasted nuts and gentle spice, not fire. Gujarati restaurants often serve a spicier Kathiyawadi version, but the wedding style here is the mild one. Eat it with butter naan, tandoori roti or jeera rice. Common mistake: adding the fried cashews too early; they soak up the gravy and turn soft, so fold them in just before serving. Chef's tip: keep a few fried cashews back and scatter them on top at the table so every spoonful has some crunch.
Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.