Sannas
An authentic vegetarian recipe from Goa, India
Cook Time
120 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
MediumCategory
VegetarianIngredients
For 4 servings
300g Raw rice (parboiled or regular)
100g Urad dal (split black gram)
100g Fresh grated coconut
5g Toddy (coconut palm wine) or active dry yeast
30g Sugar
6g Salt
150ml Water
7 ingredients needed
💡 Pro Tip: Gather all ingredients before you start cooking for a smooth preparation process.
Cooking Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to prepare this authentic dish
Wash and soak rice and urad dal separately in water for 4–6 hours.
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Drain the soaked rice and grind it with fresh grated coconut and a little water into a smooth, thick batter.
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Drain the soaked urad dal and grind separately into a smooth, fluffy batter, adding water gradually.
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Combine both batters in a large bowl. Add sugar and salt. Mix well.
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If using yeast: dissolve active dry yeast in 2 tablespoons of warm water with a pinch of sugar. Let it activate for 10 minutes until frothy, then add to the batter. If using toddy, add it directly to the batter.
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Mix the batter well, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to ferment in a warm place for 6–8 hours or overnight until the batter has risen and is bubbly.
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Grease small steel cups or idli moulds with oil. Fill each mould two-thirds full with the fermented batter — the sannas will rise during steaming.
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Steam in a steamer for 12–15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. The sannas should be soft, spongy, and slightly sweet.
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Allow to cool for 5 minutes before unmoulding. Serve warm with Goan pork sorpotel, chicken xacuti, or coconut curry.
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Chef's Tips
Traditional sannas are made with toddy (fermented coconut palm wine) which gives them a unique slightly tangy, yeasty flavour; yeast is a good substitute but the flavour will be slightly different.
Do not fill the moulds more than two-thirds full — the batter rises significantly during steaming.
The batter should be well-fermented and bubbly before steaming; under-fermented batter produces dense, flat sannas.
Sannas are the Goan equivalent of idli but sweeter and fluffier; they are an essential accompaniment to Goan meat curries.
About This Dish
Sannas is a traditional vegetarian dish from Goa, India. This authentic recipe provides exact measurements for cooking 4 servings.
- Traditional sannas are made with toddy (fermented coconut palm wine) which gives them a unique slightly tangy, yeasty flavour; yeast is a good substitute but the flavour will be slightly different. - Do not fill the moulds more than two-thirds full — the batter rises significantly during steaming. - The batter should be well-fermented and bubbly before steaming; under-fermented batter produces dense, flat sannas. - Sannas are the Goan equivalent of idli but sweeter and fluffier; they are an essential accompaniment to Goan meat curries.
Category
Vegetarian
Cook Time
120 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium