Fresh milk curd made by adding acid to hot milk, draining the whey, and pressing lightly. The base for rasgulla, rasmalai, sandesh, and most Bengali milk sweets. Chenna and paneer use the same curdling process — the difference is that paneer is pressed firm under weight for 1–2 hours and used in chunks; chenna is only lightly drained and remains soft and kneadable.
Ingredients
- 1 litre full-fat whole milk
- 3–4 tbsp white vinegar, OR 4–5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt (optional — helps with draining)
Method
Heat the milk
- Bring milk to a full boil in a heavy pan, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.
- Reduce heat to low.
Curdle
- Add the acid slowly, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring gently after each addition. Stop the moment the milk curdles completely — the whey should turn pale greenish-yellow and clear, with white curds floating distinctly.
- Do not add more acid than necessary. Excess acid makes the chenna sour and gives it a rough, grainy texture.
- If the whey is still milky white after all the acid is added, the milk wasn't hot enough. Return briefly to a boil and add 1 more tbsp of acid.
Drain
- Line a colander with a double layer of muslin or cheesecloth. Pour the curdled milk through it.
- Rinse the curds under cold running water for 30 seconds — this removes residual acid taste and stops the cooking.
- Gather the cloth and squeeze gently to remove excess whey.
- Hang for 30–45 minutes (tie to the tap or a hook over the sink) until no more whey drips from the cloth. Don't over-drain — chenna should be moist and soft, not dry and crumbly.
Check texture
- Chenna is ready when it holds together when pressed but still feels soft and slightly moist — like a soft, pliable dough. If it's crumbly and dry, it's been over-drained. If it's wet and won't hold any shape, hang for 10 more minutes.
Storage
- Fridge: Use within 2 days, airtight.
- Freezer: Not suitable — freezing makes the texture grainy and waterlogged on thawing.
Notes
- Full-fat milk produces more chenna with better texture. Low-fat milk produces less and the texture is noticeably inferior.
- White vinegar gives a neutral-tasting chenna — preferred for sandesh and sweets where you taste the chenna directly. Lemon juice works but adds a faint citrus note that the cold water rinse mostly (not entirely) removes.
- The cold water rinse after draining is important — don't skip it. It both stops the cooking and neutralizes the acid taste in the curds.
- For how to use chenna in specific sweets, see Chenna Guide.
Variations
- Paneer: Same curdling and draining steps, but press under a heavy weight (a pot filled with water works) for 1–2 hours until firm. Use in curry and sabzi applications.
- Chenna with cream: Replace 200ml of the milk with heavy cream for a richer, more buttery chenna — good for sandesh served as dessert.
Added Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 26, 2026