Chhena Muduki Recipe | Traditional Odia Chhena Sweet
Chhena Muduki is a traditional Odia sweet made with fresh homemade chhena, sugar and cardamom. The chhena is cut into small rectangular sticks and cooked in sugar syrup to create a sweet coating.
Ingredients
- 1 litres full-cream milk
- 2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
- 2 cup sugar
- 3-4 green cardamom pods crushed
- 3.5 cup water as needed for the sugar syrup
Instructions
Boil the milk:
- Heat the full-cream milk in a heavy-bottomed pan until it comes to a boil.
Prepare the chhena:
- Dilute the vinegar or lemon juice with a little water.
- Add it gradually to the hot milk until the milk solids separate from the whey.
Strain the chhena:
- Pour the curdled milk through a muslin cloth.
- Rinse the chhena with clean water to remove the acidic taste and allow the excess whey to drain.
Cut into sticks:
- Once the chhena is firm enough to handle, cut it into small, uniform rectangular sticks.
Prepare the sugar syrup:
- Add sugar and water to a wide, heavy-bottomed pan.
- Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring the syrup to a boil.
Add cardamom:
- Add the crushed cardamom pods and allow their flavour to infuse into the syrup.
Cook the chhena:
- Add the chhena sticks carefully to the syrup.
- Cook gently, moving the pieces with care so they retain their shape.
Coat the sticks:
- Continue cooking until the syrup thickens and coats the chhena pieces.
- Stir gently as the syrup reduces.
Cool and serve:
- Transfer the pieces to a plate and allow them to cool completely before serving.