Chena Toast: A Delicious and Healthy Sweet Dish from Lucknow

Hello and welcome to Mithainama!, where I share my passion for cooking and eating delicious dishes from different cuisines. Today, I want to introduce you to a unique and mouth-watering sweet dish from India, called Chena Toast.
Chena Toast is a variation of chena-based sweets, which are made from fresh cheese curdled from milk. Chena is also known as paneer or cottage cheese, and it is a versatile ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. Chena Toast is shaped like a toast, stuffed with a layer of cream, decorated with silver varq (edible silver leaf) and garnished with dry fruits. It is soft, moist, creamy and rich in taste.
Chena Toast is not very common in most parts of India, but it is a specialty of Ram Asrey, a famous sweet shop in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Ram Asrey was established in 1805 and has been serving traditional sweets to generations of customers. Chena Toast is one of their signature products, and it is said to be the favorite of many Bollywood celebrities.
If you want to try making Chena Toast at home, you can follow some easy recipes available online. You will need some basic ingredients like milk, lemon juice, sugar, semolina, cream, dry fruits and silver varq. You can also use a blender or a food processor to make the chena smooth and fine. You will need to bake the chena toast in an oven for about 30 to 45 minutes until it turns golden brown. You can serve it hot or cold, as per your preference.
Chena Toast is a perfect dessert for any occasion, whether it is a festival, a party or a family gathering. It is also a great way to use up leftover milk or paneer. You can impress your guests with this exotic and elegant sweet dish that has a history of more than 200 years.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and learned something new about Chena Toast. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave them in the comments section below. And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more delicious recipes and food stories. Thank you for reading!

Origin of Chena Toast

The origin of the sweet is closely related to the origin of chena itself. Chena is a type of cheese that is made by curdling milk with an acidic agent like lemon juice or vinegar. The curdled milk solids are then separated from the whey and kneaded into a smooth dough.
The exact origin of chena is not clear, but there are different theories and legends about it. Some sources claim that chena was known in ancient India since the Vedic times, as there are references to curdled milk products in the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Some sources also suggest that chena was used to make sweets like rasgulla and sandesh in medieval India, as there are mentions of souring milk and frying cheese balls in the Manasollasa, a 12th-century Indian cookbook.
However, other sources argue that chena was introduced to India by the Portuguese in the 17th century, when they colonized parts of Bengal and Goa. The Portuguese brought their technique of “breaking” milk with acid to make cheese like queso fresco or queijo fresco. The local people adopted this technique and modified it to suit their taste and preferences. They started making chena-based sweets like rasgulla, chumchum, rasmalai and chena toast.
Chena toast is believed to be a creation of Ram Asrey, a legendary sweet shop in Lucknow. Ram Asrey was founded by Ram Asrey Lal Srivastava in 1805. He was a skilled confectioner who learned the art of making sweets from his father. He started his business with a small shop near the Chowk area of Lucknow. He soon gained fame for his innovative and delicious sweets like malai paan, malai gilori, khurchan and chena toast.
Chena toast was one of his most popular inventions. He came up with the idea of making a toast-like sweet with chena as the base. He stuffed the chena toast with cream, coated it with sugar syrup, decorated it with silver varq and sprinkled it with dry fruits. He named it chena toast because it resembled a toasted bread slice. He also claimed that it was good for health as it contained protein-rich chena and calcium-rich cream.

History of Chena Toast

The history of Chena Toast is closely related to the history of Lucknow and its Nawabi culture. Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, and it was the seat of power of the Nawabs of Awadh, who ruled the region from 1722 to 1856. The Nawabs were patrons of arts and crafts, who encouraged the development of various forms of expression like poetry, painting, dance, music and cooking.
The Nawabi cuisine is one of the most refined and sophisticated cuisines in India, which blends the Persian, Mughal and Indian influences. The Nawabi cuisine is known for its use of aromatic spices, nuts, dried fruits, saffron, silver and gold. It is also known for its variety of dishes, ranging from kebabs, biryanis, kormas and salans to halwas, barfis, kulfi and falooda.
Chena toast is one of the finest examples of Nawabi sweets, which are rich, royal and refined. It was especially loved by the Nawabs themselves, who often ordered it for their royal feasts and celebrations. They also gifted it to their guests and dignitaries as a token of appreciation and respect. Chena toast became a symbol of Lucknow’s culture and cuisine.
Chena toast also witnessed the rise and fall of Lucknow’s glory and prosperity. It saw the golden age of Lucknow under Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula (1775-1797), who built many monuments like Bara Imambara, Rumi Darwaza and Chhota Imambara. It also saw the decline of Lucknow under Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (1847-1856), who was deposed by the British East India Company in 1856. It also saw the revolt of Lucknow against the British rule in 1857, which resulted in the siege and destruction of the city.
Chena toast survived all these upheavals and changes, and continued to be made by Ram Asrey and his descendants. Ram Asrey passed on his legacy to his son Ram Prasad Srivastava, who expanded the business and opened another outlet near Hazratganj in 1910. Ram Prasad passed on his legacy to his son Ram Kishore Srivastava, who modernized the production and packaging of the sweets and introduced new varieties like malai roll, malai sandwich and malai barfi. Ram Kishore passed on his legacy to his son Ram Asrey Srivastava, who is the current owner of Ram Asrey and the fourth generation of the family.
Chena toast is still made with the same recipe and technique that was used by the founder Ram Asrey Lal Srivastava in 1805. It is still made with fresh and pure ingredients, without any preservatives or artificial colors. It is still baked in traditional clay ovens, which give it a distinct flavor and texture. It is still decorated with silver varq, which is made by hand by skilled craftsmen. It is still packed in eco-friendly boxes, which are made of leaves and bamboo.
Chena toast is still loved by people of all ages, backgrounds and religions. It is still a common sight in the sweet shops of Lucknow, especially during festivals and occasions like Diwali, Holi, Eid and weddings. It is still a popular gift item that is exchanged among friends and relatives as a sign of affection and goodwill. It is still a sweet that brings people together and celebrates the diversity and unity of Lucknow.

Cultural significance

Chena toast is not just a sweet dish, but also a cultural icon of Lucknow. It represents the rich heritage and legacy of the city, which is known for its art, architecture, literature, music and cuisine. Lucknow is famous for its Nawabi culture, which blends the Persian, Mughal and Indian influences. The Nawabs were patrons of arts and crafts, who encouraged the development of various forms of expression like poetry, painting, dance, music and cooking.
Chena toast reflects the Nawabi style of cooking, which is characterized by its elegance, sophistication and innovation. The Nawabi cuisine is known for its use of aromatic spices, nuts, dried fruits, saffron, silver and gold. It is also known for its variety of dishes, ranging from kebabs, biryanis, kormas and salans to halwas, barfis, kulfi and falooda. Chena toast is one of the finest examples of Nawabi sweets, which are rich, royal and refined.
Chena toast also reflects the spirit of Lucknow, which is known for its hospitality, generosity and warmth. Lucknow is famous for its tehzeeb or etiquette, which is based on the principles of respect, courtesy and kindness. The people of Lucknow are known for their polite and friendly behavior, which is expressed through their language, gestures and manners. They are also known for their love for food, which is evident from their passion for cooking and eating. They often invite guests to their homes and treat them with delicious dishes like chena toast.
Chena toast is a sweet that is enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds and religions. It is a common sight in the sweet shops of Lucknow, especially during festivals and occasions like Diwali, Holi, Eid and weddings. It is also a popular gift item that is exchanged among friends and relatives as a sign of affection and goodwill. Chena toast is a sweet that brings people together and celebrates the diversity and unity of Lucknow.

Where is Chena Toast famous?

Chena toast is famous mainly in Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. It is a specialty of Ram Asrey, the oldest and most reputed sweet shop in Lucknow. Ram Asrey has been making chena toast since 1805, and has maintained its quality and taste over the years. Ram Asrey has two outlets in Lucknow, one near Chowk and one near Hazratganj. Both outlets are always crowded with customers who come to relish the chena toast and other sweets.
Chena toast is also famous in other parts of Uttar Pradesh, especially in Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Agra. It is also available in some cities of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Delhi. However, it is not as widely known or popular as other chena-based sweets like rasgulla or sandesh. Chena toast remains largely a regional delicacy that is associated with Lucknow and its culture.

Interesting Facts and trivia

Here are some interesting facts and trivia about chena toast that you may not know:

1. Chena toast is also known as malai toast or cream toast, because of its creamy filling.
2. Chena toast is sometimes confused with another sweet dish called malai gilori, which is also made by Ram Asrey. Malai gilori is similar to chena toast, but it has a thinner layer of chena and a thicker layer of cream. It is also shaped like a paan or betel leaf.
3. Chena toast is said to be the favorite sweet of Amitabh Bachchan, the legendary Bollywood actor who was born in Allahabad. He often visits Ram Asrey whenever he comes to Lucknow and orders chena toast along with other sweets.
4. Chena toast has been featured in several movies and TV shows that are set in Lucknow or have a connection with the city. For example, in the movie Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Kangana Ranaut’s character Tanu orders chena toast from Ram Asrey when she returns to Lucknow after her divorce. In the TV show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Shivangi Joshi’s character Naira loves chena toast and often eats it with her family.
5. Chena toast has also been mentioned in several books and articles that describe the food and culture of Lucknow. For example, in the book The Last Mughal by William Dalrymple, he writes about the Nawabs of Awadh and their fondness for chena toast and other sweets. In the article The Sweet Streets Of Varanasi by Umang Sharma, he writes about the influence of Bengali culture on the sweets of Uttar Pradesh and mentions chena toast as one of them

Did You Know?

Did you know that chenna toast, a delicious sweet dish from Lucknow, is not only tasty but also healthy? Chenna toast is made from chenna, which is a type of cheese that is made by curdling milk with an acidic agent like lemon juice or vinegar. Chenna is a nutrient-dense food, high-protein food that is also rich in calcium, riboflavin, zinc, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin A, D and E. It is a great addition to a vegetarian diet, which can be deficient in protein. With its high calcium content, chenna also helps reduce cholesterol absorption, promote weight loss and lower blood pressure. Chenna toast also contains cream, dry fruits and silver varq, which add to its flavor and nutrition. Cream provides healthy fats and calories, dry fruits provide antioxidants and fiber, and silver varq provides trace minerals. Chenna toast is a perfect dessert for any occasion, whether it is a festival, a party or a family gathering. It is also a great way to use up leftover milk or paneer. You can impress your guests with this exotic and elegant sweet dish that has a history of more than 200 years. If you want to try making chenna toast at home, you can follow some easy recipes available online. You will need some basic ingredients like milk, lemon juice, sugar, semolina, cream, dry fruits and silver varq. You can also use a blender or a food processor to make the chenna smooth and fine. You will need to bake the chenna toast in an oven for about 30 to 45 minutes until it turns golden brown. You can serve it hot or cold, as per your preference. I hope you enjoyed learning about chenna toast and its benefits. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know. Thank you for reading!