 | |
| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Balasore |
| Region or state | Odisha,India |
| Main ingredients | Chhena |
Chhena gaja (Odia:ଛେନା ଗଜା) is a sweet dish fromBalasore, Odisha, India.[1] Unlike some other popularchhena-based Odia desserts, such asrasagola, which have spread throughout India, the chhena gaja remains largely popular within the state itself.
Although the ingredients of chhena gaja are essentially the same as that ofrasagola andchhena poda, the dishes are very different in taste.
One of the best places to savor chhena gajas is Pahala, nearBhubaneswar.[2] However, chhena gaja is equally popular all over Odisha.
Chhena gajas are prepared by combiningchhena, similar tocottage cheese, andsooji (semolina), and kneading the dough thoroughly. Water is squeezed out from the mixture, which is then dried briefly until it acquires the right consistency. It is then molded into palm-sized rectangular shapes (gajas), boiled in thick sugar syrup. Sometimes, the gajas are then allowed to dry a little more, in which case the sugar may occasionally crystallize on the surface.
The other famous sweet dishes of Orissa are, chenna gaja (deep fried cheese soaked in sugar syrup)
