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Sannas
Steamed rice cakes
सान्नां: Goan steamed rice cakes, light and fluffy with coconut and a gentle sweet tang (plus overnight soaking and fermenting)
Sannas are to a Goan Catholic feast what idli is to a Chennai breakfast: soft, pillowy steamed rice cakes, made for Christmas, weddings and village feast days to mop up sorpotel, xacuti or a coconut curry. They are fluffier and slightly sweeter than idli, because ground coconut and a little sugar go into the rice batter, and they are traditionally risen with fresh coconut toddy (sur). This version uses dried yeast in place of toddy, so it contains no alcohol, and the long overnight ferment still gives the faint sour note that makes them taste right. Serve them warm with any Goan curry (vegetable xacuti or chana ross keep it vegetarian) or with jaggery and coconut milk for tea. The common mistake is overfilling the moulds; sannas rise a lot and spill over. Fill each two-thirds full. Chef's tip: grind a handful of cooked rice or soaked poha into the batter; it gives that cotton-soft, spongy texture that plain rice batter lacks.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the batter
- 10 ½ oz parboiled or idli ricesoaked 6–8 hours
- 1 oz thick poha (flattened rice)rinsed and soaked 10 minutes
- 3 ½ oz fresh coconutgrated
- 1 cup coconut water or waterroughly
For fermenting
- 1 tsp instant dried yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp warm water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
For steaming
- 1 tbsp coconut oilfor greasing
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 1 tsp instant dried yeast and 1 tsp sugar with 3 tbsp warm water and leave for 10 minutes until frothy.
10 minStep 2: Drain 10 ½ oz parboiled or idli rice and 1 oz thick poha (flattened rice) and grind with 3 ½ oz fresh coconut and 1 cup coconut water or water to a very smooth batter, thick but pourable, like idli batter.
15 minStep 3: Stir in the yeast, cover with a loose lid and leave in a warm place for 8–10 hours until doubled, bubbly and pleasantly sour-smelling.
5 minStep 5: Grease small steel bowls, idli moulds or katoris with 1 tbsp coconut oil and fill each two-thirds full.
5 minStep 6: Steam over boiling water, covered, on a high heat for 12–15 minutes until risen, springy and a skewer comes out clean.
15 minStep 7: Rest for 5 minutes, then run a knife round each sanna and turn out. Serve warm.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sannas take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of parboiled or idli rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fresh coconut?
- Desiccated coconut soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, about three quarters of the weight.
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