This typically coastal Indian food is eaten with curries, stir-fries and even on its own. There’s nothing like warm, soft and fluffy Sannas to go with chicken sukka, a pork vindaloo or sorpatel!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500 grams) rice
- 2 medium-sized coconuts
- 1 pint (500 milliliters) Goan toddy or 2 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar (to mix with yeast if using)
- Salt to taste
- 4 teaspoons sugar (to add to batter)
- 1 cup warm water (if using yeast)
Steps to Make It
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Wash the rice well and soak in water overnight. In the morning, drain the water and grind the rice into a fine paste with a little toddy. If you are not using today, grind the rice on its own.
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Scrape the coconut out of the shell and grind it into a paste too.
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If you are using the yeast, mix it with 2 teaspoons of sugar and the warm water. Stir well. Allow to sit for a few minutes and it will begin to rise.
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Mix the rice and coconut pastes together in a large, deep bowl and add the toddy/ yeast water. Mix well to form a thick batter.
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Allow this batter to ferment for 4 to 5 hours.
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Grease an Idli stand (or small ramekin dishes with a little cooking oil and pour enough batter into the mold/ramekin dishes to fill about 3/4 of the way.
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Put the Idli stand/ ramekin dishes into a steamer and steam for 20 minutes at least (or till cooked – a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean) on high flame.
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When cooked, gently remove from the Idli molds/ramekin dishes and serve hot with a curry of your choice.
