Chhena

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Not to be confused with chickpea (Hindi, Odisha and Nepali: Chhana).

Chhena
Chhena formed into balls to make rosogolla
TypeCheese
Place of originIndian subcontinent
Main ingredientsMilk
Food energy
(per 1 cup serving)
719 calories kcal
Nutritional value
(per 1 cup serving)
Protein8g g
Fat9g g
Carbohydrate10g g

Chhena (pronounced

lemon juice and calcium lactate instead of rennet and straining out the whey.[3]

Chhena is pressed and may be further processed to make

rosogolla, and sandesh
. For the sweets, mostly cow milk chhena is used.

Chhena is produced in Bangladesh and eastern India, and it is generally made from cow or buffalo milk. In India, it is a legal requirement for Chhena to have no more than 70% of moisture content, and 50% of milk fat in dry material[4] The production of chhena in India was estimated to be 200,000 tonnes annually in 2009. Production is highest in the state of Uttar Pradesh, while consumption is highest in the state of West Bengal.[5]

Sahu and Das[6] conducted a study of milk consumption in India and found that 6% of milk produced in India is used in the chhena production process. It is closely related to paneer cheese as they both share a similar production process, but it is kneaded when it is still warm in the manufacturing process. The result is a cheese with a 'smooth, whipped-cream consistency', unlike paneer, which is firm.[7]

History

The Four Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism

The

deep-frying to make sweets. Based on texts such as Charaka Samhita, BN Mathur wrote that the earliest evidence of a heat-acid coagulated milk product in India can be traced to 75–300 CE.[14] Sunil Kumar et al. interpret this product as the present-day paneer or chhena.[15][16]

According to another theory, the

Bandel Cheese was introduced by the Portuguese in Bengal, which is distinct from chenna and paneer.[20]

Chhena cheese-based sweets were created by confectionery makers known as 'moira'/'moyra' in Bengal. The Halwai caste has long been associated with the production of chhena-based products.[21] It is traditional for Bengalis to end a meal with a sweet, which is known as 'madhurena samapayet'.[22] Today, some traditional sweet makers such as Annapurna Bhandar in New Delhi continue to make fresh chhena in their stores as a base for their products with locally sourced milk.[23]

Sandesh, the most popular chhena-based sweet

In the 1990s, chhena was largely produced in country milk sheds by farmers and sent by road and rail to manufacturers.[24] Batch methods of production are utilised by smaller producers, with their methods and resulting products having different characteristics and flavours compared to commercially produced products.[21] The most popular product produced with chhena is sandesh, a dessert.[25] In recent times, chhena products have become a niche, competing with introduced foreign foods and desserts.[26]

Liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation are actively reshaping the Indian cheese industry.[27] Traditional producers of chhena-based products are under pressure from foreign countries such as the United States of America seeking bilateral trade deals with the Indian government, especially as European-style cheeses such as mozzarella become more popular.[28] Producers argue that they would not be able to compete with international dairy firms as they would have to comply with stricter sanitary and quarantine standards, which would vastly inflate costs of production.[28] Dairy farmers in India are fiercely opposed to liberalisation of the dairy sector, as they fear job losses and the collapse of small industry which still produces traditional dairy products like chhena.[28]

Production

India's yearly production of chhena is estimated to be 200,000 tonnes as of 2004.[29] Traditionally, chhena is made in a karahi, utilising a method similar to ricotta cheese production.[30] The Food Safety and Standards Regulation of India states that chhena is to be made from cow or buffalo milk,[31] or a blend of both milks, and the coagulation can be completed with 'sour milk, or lactic or citric acid'.[31] Aged acidic whey from previous batches can also be substituted in the coagulation process to prevent waste of ingredients and streamline the production process.[32]

The cheese is prepared by first boiling the chosen milk for 10 minutes, and then introducing an acid or aged acidic whey from a prior batch when the milk has slightly cooled at 75–80 degrees Celsius. Following this step, the whey separates and floats to the top of the pan. The whey is then removed by sieving the resulting curd, the chhena, through a muslin cloth.[33] The pressing of the resulting curd mostly relies on gravity to separate it from the whey,[34] but weighted boards can also be used to speed up the process.[32] The longer the chhena is drained, the firmer the resulting final product becomes. Chhena is typically made in a small-scale batch process, but it is possible to make it with a continuous process like ricotta cheese in commercial production settings.[35]

rosogolla
, a famous chhena-based sweet

In the case of sweet production, the cheese is drained, kneaded on a wooden board and mixed with

binding agent such as arrowroot or semolina flour.[36] It is common now for machines to be used for the kneading process. The chhena is then rolled into balls ready for use in confectionary making.[37] Some of the popular sweets and desserts that use chhena as their base include rasogolla, sandesh, chum-chum, chhana murki, chhana podo, Ras malai, chhana balushahi, and khorma/belgrami.[31] Chhena has also been blended with cream and made into a commercial refrigerated spreadable cheese.[38] The chhena production process can be used to create a bioplastic which presents future innovation opportunities for the technology sector of India. However, this has raised ethical concerns domestically regarding food security for the wider population, as segments of the population struggle with rising food prices and malnutrition.[39]

Nutritious beverages can be created from the whey that is typically discarded in the production process of chhena by fermenting it with

bacteria cultures "Streptococcus thermophilus NCDC-74 and Yoghurt culture YC-470".[40] Lactic bacteria can ferment lactose into lactic acid, which means that people with dairy intolerances would be able to consume the beverages.[40] The whey can also be used to make puras, otherwise known as pancakes.[29] The whey must be of high quality and handled hygienically, otherwise the created products may have undesirable qualities and become not suitable for consumption.[29] Three million tonnes of whey[40] is produced each year in the chhena production process and it is typically dumped into the environment, where it is a substantial problem as a pollutant as it has a high amount of organic matter in its mass.[40]

Character

Chhena Toast, a popular savoury dish

The consistency of the finished cheese product has been shown to differ depending on the method utilised to create the cheese.

texture'.[42] It is also possible to produce chhena with soy milk, with favourable results achieved in a blend with 75% cow's milk added.[43] Milk composition and milking season also have a significant impact on the quality of the chhena produced.[44]

Chhena typically has a texture like 'whipped cream cheese',[36] and varies from smooth, pasty to crumbly.[34] Chhena is composed of fat, protein, vitamins A and D, and is low in sugar.[33] Chhena produced from cows milk is 'light yellow in colour, has a moist surface, soft body and smooth texture',[4] while chhena produced from buffalo milk in comparison is 'whitish in colour'.[4] Chhena made from these milk sources has a 'sweetish, mildly acidic taste'.[4] Production in higher temperatures results in a cheese that is grainy and hard, while lower temperatures produce a product which is sticky, and dries slowly.[30] Chhena typically is bland in taste and has an easily malleable texture. Experiments have been conducted to try to utilise chhena in the manufacturing of other products, including a spread consisting of finely processed chhena, butter and salt.[3]

Storage

Counter of Dagdusheth Halwai, a popular sweets shop which sells chhena-based products.

Without adequate cold storage and safe handling, chhena spoils easily due to its high moisture content.[45] Kulkarni states that 'thermoduric and thermophilic bacteria are not destroyed in the boiling process' in the manufacturing of chhena, which is a significant problem.[46] The tropical climate and high humidity of India also contribute to the short shelf life of the products.[47] Refrigeration makes a significant difference to the shelf life of the product, but it is quite uncommon and not readily available.[48] Unsuccessful studies were carried out by Agrawal, Sandey, and Sinha in turning the chhena into powder to preserve it as a dried good and prolong its shelf life, as the reconstituted product was unsuitable for use.[45]

Bladholm writes that chhena cheese-based sweets should be 'refrigerated and eaten within 2–3 days'.

packaging and are produced on a small scale.[53]

See also

References

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  3. ^ a b Amitraj, K, Khamrui, K, Devaraja, HC, & Mandal, S 2016, 'Optimisation of ingredients for a low-fat, Chhana-based dairy spread using response surface methodology' International Journal of Dairy Technology, vol. 69, no. 3, p. 393
  4. ^
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  6. ^ Sahu and Das (as cited in Kumar, J & Gupta, V. K. & Kumar, S & Kumar, S 2015, 'Effect of coagulants on the quality of chhana and rasogolla obtained from admixture of buffalo milk and butter milk, Journal of Food Science and Technology, vol. 52, no. 3, p. 1736)
  7. ^ Carrol, R 2018, Home Cheese Making, 4th Edition: From Fresh and Soft to Firm, Blue, Goat's Milk, and More; Recipes for 100 Favorite Cheeses, Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA, p. 87
  8. ^ Sen, C. T 2014, Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, Reaktion Books, London, United Kingdom, p. 43
  9. ^ a b Daniyal, S 2015, Who deserves credit for the rasgulla? Bengalis, Odiyas...or the Portuguese?, Scroll.in, August 4, viewed 12 November 2020, https://scroll.in//
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  11. ^ Ramachandran, Ammini. "Lokopakara – Part III Recipes". Peppertrail. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
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  13. ^ Sen, C. T 2014, Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, Reaktion Books, London, United Kingdom, p. 145
  14. ^ Rao, K.V.S.S. (1992). "Paneer technology — A review". Indian Journal of Dairy Science. 45. Indian Dairy Science Association: 281.
  15. PMID 24803688
    . People during the Kusana and Saka Satavahana periods (AD75–300) used to consume a solid mass, whose description seems to the earliest reference to the present day paneer
  16. ^ https://sites.google.com/site/vairavisca/Home/creations/manasollasa-dishes%7CManasollasa Dishes – Fried Chhena Mithai
  17. ^ Wahab, A 2020, 'A brief introduction to Bengal's Gastronomic History', The Daily Star, February 24, viewed 21 October 2020, http://www.thedailystar.net
  18. ^ O'Brien, C 2013, The Penguin Food Guide to India, Penguin Books Limited, New Delhi
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  22. ^ Bladholm, L 2016, The Indian Grocery Store Demystified: A Food Lover's Guide to All the Best Ingredients in the Traditional Foods of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, St. Martin's Publishing Group, New York, p. 181
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  25. ^ Akther, S, & Shahriar, S, & Alam, Md & Matin, A, & Sarwar, N 2017, 'Comparative studies on the quality of sandesh from cow milk chhana with soy-milk chhana addition'. Ukrainian Food Journal, vol. 6, no. 3, p. 515
  26. ^ Jat, BS, Jha, A, Jafri, M, Rai, DC, & Gautam, AK 2014, 'Development of a Process for Manufacture of the Shelf‐Stable Chhana Roll and Its Physicochemical Properties', Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 1660
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  32. ^ a b c Park, Y.W., Haenlein, G.F.W. and Wendorff, W.L 2017, Handbook of milk of non-bovine mammals, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ
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  35. ^ Hui, Y.H, N 2007, Handbook of Food Products Manufacturing, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J, p. 639
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  39. ^ Jefferson, MT 2020, 'Valorization of Sour Milk to Form Bioplastics: Friend or Foe?' Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 97, no. 4, pp. 1075
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  41. ^ Food Safety and Standards Regulation (as cited in Kumar, Gupta, Kumar & Kumar 2015 p. 1736)
  42. ^ Chakraborty, P, Singh, T, Shivhare, US, Basu, S, & Chakraborty, P 2020, 'Understanding the effect of milk composition and milking season on quality characteristics of chhana.' Journal of Texture Studies, vol. 1, no. 12, p. 1
  43. ^ Akther, S, & Shahriar, S, & Alam, Md & Matin, A, & Sarwar, N 2017, 'Comparative studies on the quality of sandesh from cow milk chhana with soy-milk chhana addition'. Ukrainian Food Journal, vol. 6, no. 3, p. 514
  44. ^ Chakraborty, P, Singh, T, Shivhare, US, Basu, S, & Chakraborty, P 2020, 'Understanding the effect of milk composition and milking season on quality characteristics of chhana.' Journal of Texture Studies, vol. 1, no. 12, p. 11
  45. ^ a b Agrawal, A.K, Sandey, K.K & Sinha, G 2015, 'Drying of Chhana using Solar Energy: Physical and Thermal Properties of Dried Chhana', International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology, vol. 3, no. 20, p.1
  46. ^ Kulkarni 1984 (as cited in Jat, BS, Jha, A, Jafri, M, Rai, DC, & Gautam, AK 2014, 'Development of a Process for Manufacture of the Shelf‐Stable Chhana Roll and Its Physicochemical Properties', Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 1661)
  47. ^ a b Jat, BS, Jha, A, Jafri, M, Rai, DC, & Gautam, AK 2014, 'Development of a Process for Manufacture of the Shelf‐Stable Chhana Roll and Its Physicochemical Properties', Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 1661
  48. ^ De 1980 (as cited in Jat, BS, Jha, A, Jafri, M, Rai, DC, & Gautam, AK 2014, 'Development of a Process for Manufacture of the Shelf‐Stable Chhana Roll and Its Physicochemical Properties', Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 1661)
  49. ^ Press Trust of India 1998, 'Strict quality control must to avoid more food disasters', Indian Express, September 7, viewed 12 November 2020, https://indianexpress.com
  50. ^ Press Trust of India 1998, 'Strict quality control must to avoid more food disasters', Indian Express, September 7, viewed 12 November 2020, https://indianexpress.com
  51. ^ Maity, T, Kumar, R, & Misra, A 2010, 'Prevalence of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Chhana Based Indian Sweets in Relation to Public Health', Indian Journal of Microbiology, vol. 50, no. 4, p. 463
  52. ^ Maity, T, Kumar, R, & Misra, A 2010, 'Prevalence of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Chhana Based Indian Sweets in Relation to Public Health', Indian Journal of Microbiology, vol. 50, no. 4, p. 466
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