Chhena
Acid-set cheese used as base for many Indian sweets.
Chhena (also known as chhana) is a type of acid-set cheese originating in the Indian subcontinent, made from water buffalo or cow milk by adding food acids such as lemon juice (and sometimes other acidic agents) instead of rennet and straining out the whey. It is pressed and may be further processed to make paneer or formed into balls to make a variety of desserts and sweets, including rasogolla, sandesh, and chhena poda. Chhena is produced in Odisha, West Bengal, eastern India, and Bangladesh, and is generally made from cow or buffalo milk.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Indian subcontinent
- Main Ingredient
- Milk
- Calories
- 719 calories
- Serving Size
- 1 cup
- Fat
- 9g
- Protein
- 8g
- Carbohydrate
- 10g
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Vedas contain a reference to 'dadhanvat', translated as an 'abundance of curds', but not specifically to chhena. Catherine Donnelly notes that Vedic literature refers to cheese production using barks of the palash tree, fruits like jujube, and creepers like putika with coagulating enzymes, as well as Dadhanvat, a cheeselike substance. The Lokopakara text from the 10th century gives recipes for coagulated cheeses from buffalo milk using plants and roots, producing a soft cheese called Haluvuga. The Manasollasa, a 12th-century text, details souring milk and draining curds to make chhena and using them as a base for sweets. According to another theory, the Portuguese may have introduced the technique of breaking milk with acid to Bengal in the 17th century; the Portuguese arrival in Bengal is dated to 1517, but the extent of any taboo on curdling cow's milk with acid among Hindus in Bengal, and its direct link to chhena's origin, remains debated in historical scholarship.
Reader's Guide
Chhena is significant as a traditional dairy product central to the cuisine of eastern India and Bangladesh, particularly in the production of a wide range of sweets and desserts. Its production process, involving heat-acid coagulation without rennet, distinguishes it from many Western cheeses. The cheese is typically made in small-scale batch processes, though continuous commercial production is possible. Chhena's cultural importance is reflected in its use in religious and festive contexts, and it remains a staple ingredient for confectionery makers. In recent times, chhena products have become a niche, competing with introduced foreign foods and desserts. Liberalisation and globalisation have put pressure on traditional producers, who face challenges from international dairy firms and stricter sanitary standards. The whey byproduct, produced in large quantities (three million tonnes annually in India), poses environmental problems but also offers opportunities for nutritious beverages and other products. Chhena's legacy endures as a versatile ingredient that supports local economies and culinary traditions.
Did You Know?
- Chhena is made by adding food acids such as lemon juice instead of rennet.
- In India, chhena must legally have no more than 70% moisture content and 50% milk fat in dry material.
- Production of chhena in India was estimated at 200,000 tonnes annually in 2009, with highest production in Uttar Pradesh and highest consumption in West Bengal.
- The whey from chhena production can be fermented to create nutritious beverages for people with dairy intolerances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chhena?
Chhena is a soft, acid-set cheese made by curdling cow or buffalo milk with lemon juice or another food acid, then straining out the whey. Unlike rennet-based cheeses, it carries a bright tang and a delicate, crumbly texture.
How is Chhena actually made?
The process involves heating milk, adding an acidic agent like lemon juice to trigger curdling, draining the liquid whey, and pressing the curds into a cohesive mass. No rennet is used at any stage.
What famous desserts is Chhena the base for?
Chhena is the star ingredient in rasogolla, sandesh, and chhena poda, where it is shaped into small balls or pressed into molds before being cooked in syrup or served fresh. It essentially IS the dessert in all three cases.
Where does Chhena come from?
Chhena originates across the Indian subcontinent, with deep-rooted production traditions in Odisha, West Bengal, eastern India, and Bangladesh. It is an everyday dairy staple in all of these regions.
What quality standards does Chhena have to meet?
Under Indian food law, chhena must not exceed 70 percent moisture and must contain at least 50 percent milk fat within its dry matter. These rules prevent producers from watering down the product or substituting non-dairy fats.
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