Sanna

It is fermented with toddy or coconut water rather than yeast.

Vegan.

Ingredients

400 g red rice
100 g urad dal, black lentil
200 g coconut, grated
200 ml coconut water, or 200 ml palm toddy
100 ml coconut milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons jaggery, for the sweet version

Method

IT IS FERMENTED WITH TODDY OR COCONUT WATER RATHER THAN YEAST. Its article makes the comparison itself, which is the clearest way to say what the dish is: sannas are commonly made with coconut for fermentation, UNLIKE IDLIS MADE BY ADDING YEAST. Idli, as on its own page, is a page here, and the two are otherwise close -- steamed, spongy, savoury, unfilled. The ferment is the difference, and its article separates the two kinds: Hindus normally use urad dal, COCONUT WATER AND COCONUT MILK, while Catholic sannas are made from the TODDY of coconut flowers or the SAP-TODDY of the palm.
THE RICE IS RED RICE, WHICH ITS ARTICLE NAMES FIRST. Originally made of RED RICE, black lentil and coconut. It gives a greyish, nuttier sanna; white rice gives something much closer to an idli.
THE RICE AND DAL ARE SOAKED AND GROUND COARSE. Four hours, then ground with the coconut to a thick batter with some grain left in it.
THE FERMENT IS WHAT TAKES THE TIME. Eight to twelve hours somewhere warm. Toddy works fast and stops quickly; coconut water is slower and gentler.
IT IS READY WHEN IT HAS RISEN AND SMELLS SWEETLY SOUR. Not sharp. A toddy ferment taken too far turns the batter alcoholic and flat.
NO SALT UNTIL AFTER THE FERMENT. Salt slows the culture, which matters more here than in a yeasted batter.
THEY ARE STEAMED IN SMALL ROUND MOULDS, FILLED TWO THIRDS. They rise, and a full mould gives a flat top.
FIFTEEN MINUTES, AND THEY ARE TURNED OUT WARM. Cooled in the mould they stick.
ITS ARTICLE NAMES THE SWEET VERSION AND WHAT IT IS EATEN WITH. Godachi sanna, with jaggery in the batter; and savoury sannas with a spicy pork curry, or chicken or mutton, or for breakfast with coconut chutney.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes