Chenna Payesh

Chenna Payesh
Photo Credits: Monalisa Nayak

Bengali cuisine is one of the most flavorful cooking styles in India. Desserts like Rasgulla and Sandesh are popular around the world. This is the recipe for an amazing dish from this cuisine. Chenna Payesh, as its name suggests, is made with chenna. Also commonly made across Odisha, this is the perfect dessert to be served at any occasion.

Ingredients

  • 1 liter Full cream milk (from 500ml of milk I got 1 cup chenna)
  • 1 Lemon or 1/4 cup Vinegar (for making chenna)
  • 1 cup Condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup Sugar + 1 teaspoon more for caramelizing
  • 1-2 teaspoon Ghee
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 3-4 Cardamoms, crushed to powder
  • 1/2cup Assorted Dry fruits, chopped

Procedure for making Chenna Payesh

For making  Chenna

  1. Boil 500 ml milk .When it starts boiling, squeeze the lemon or add vinegar
  2. After 1-2 seconds, the milk will start curdling. Switch off the heat & strain the whey (chenna) from liquid with the help of muslin cloth or strainer.

Note: You may use this strainer.

  1.  Wash the chenna under running tap water & keep aside for 10-15 mins so that extra water strains out.

For making Payasam (Payesh)

  1. In a small pan pour 1/2 tsp ghee, sauté the chenna in ghee till all liquid present in chenna dries up. Put 1 tsp sugar to chenna while stirring.
  2.  After 5-7 mins chenna water will dry up & turn into a crumble. Transfer to a plate & keep aside. 
  3. In the same pan pour some ghee to roast the dry fruits & keep aside. 
  4. Take a big kadhai/pan.

Note: You may use this kadhai or this frying pan.

  1. Add 1 tsp of sugar + 1 tsp hot water for  caramelizing. 
  2. After sugar caramelizes,  carefully pour warm milk to it (due to high temperature of sugar milk may start splitting outside kadhai)
  3. Boil till milk starts reducing, then add condensed milk and 1/2 cup sugar (you can add more as per your taste) and stir it.
  4. Then add chenna and roasted dry fruits to it.
  5. While stirring, scrap the residue deposit at the sides of kadhai & mix with milk. 
  6. When milk gets reduced to its half, add crushed cardamom powder to it & stir.
  7. Switch off the heat & let it cool. Garnish with dry fruits & rose petals.

Preparation Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 3-4

4 thoughts on “Chenna Payesh

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