Sanna- Steamed Rice Cake

mayurisjikoni

8 years ago

EVENT: RECIPE SWAP CHALLENGE

THEME: RECIPE SWAP – 1

I’ve actually got a lot on my plate at the moment where blogging is concerned as I’m constantly busy with some group or the other. Initially I was two minded about joining this group simply because I thought I may not be able to cope. However, the main reason I joined is that I have bookmarked so many recipes from fellow bloggers that I rarely get the opportunity to go back to them and actually make it. However, this group gives me that opportunity.

This is my first entry for the group and I was paired with Sasmita who blogs at First Timer Cook. Her blog is full of recipes both Indian and International Vegetarian Dishes. I love her photos and how she sometimes uses unique ingredients. One of the recipes I had bookmarked from her blog was Sanna.

Last year at my daughter’s best friends wedding reception I got the opportunity to taste sanna. I had heard about this rice coconut steamed Goan/Mangalorean Catholic speciality. At the reception, when I took 2 I thought they were idlis. However on tasting it, it was different. I asked the waiter who was serving the food what it was and he replied ‘madam its sanna, and its our speciality’. I enjoyed sanna with some coconut stew.

When I browsed the internet for sanna recipes most had toddy as the ingredient and I thought ‘where am I going to get that from’, and left it at that. Sasmita blogs sanna for another group challenge and I immediately bookmarked the recipe. What I also liked that instead of making them in an idli mold she used the silicon cake cups.

So here’s the recipe for the delicious sanna which even my hubby loved so much. I served it with some benasthali, a Goan veg curry. Sanna is also enjoyed as a breakfast dish with some sugar/jaggery and milk or with sambhar and chutney. Sweet sannas are made by adding jaggery to the batter before steaming it.

Sasmita thank you so much for sharing such an easy and delicious sanna recipe.

SANNA – STEAMED RICE CAKE

Makes about 20 if you use silicon molds 12-14 if you use small steel bowls

Recipe Source: First Timer Cook

2 cups rice

½ cup fresh grated coconut

2 tsp instant active dry yeast

2-3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

¾ cup water

Soak the rice overnight in some water.
Next day drain out the water and wash the rice.
Put it in the blender with the grated coconut and water.
Blend till you get a fine smooth thick batter.
Remove the batter from the blender into a big bowl.
Add sugar, salt and instant yeast. Mix well.
Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film and set it aside for the batter to ferment.
This will take about 2-3 hours. The batter should be really frothy and double in size.
Don’t mix it too much.
Prepare the steamer. I used a big pan and filled it with water about 3″ deep.
I placed a steaming plate in it.
Place the molds in the plate.
Add about 2 tablespoonful of the batter or fill it ¾ full.
Cover the pan with a lid and steam the sanna for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the sauna from the mold and keep it a bowl covered with a tea towel.
Repeat steps 12-15 with the remaining batter. Remember to add water in the pan if it nearly gets over.
Serve sanna with some curry of your choice.

Tips:

The batter should be like the idli dosa batter consistency.
You can make them in an idli steamer, use small steel or aluminum bowls or ramekins.
Add more water when grinding if required.
I steamed the leftover sanna again for 5 minutes and we enjoyed it with some chutney.
If you use normal active dry yeast then you will need to ferment it before adding to the batter. Add the yeast to little warm water with 1 tsp sugar. Cover and let it sit for 10-15 minutes till it becomes frothy. Add this to the batter and mix well.

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