Goan Sanna with Chanyachi Usal

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak Rice and Poha (4-6 hours)

   • Rinse the idli rice and thick poha separately under cool running water until the water runs clear.
   • Combine the rinsed rice and poha in a large bowl.
   • Add enough water to cover the mixture by at least 2 inches. Cover the bowl and let it soak for a minimum of 4 hours, or up to 6 hours.
2. 2

   Grind the Batter (10 minutes)

   • Thoroughly drain all the water from the soaked rice and poha mixture.
   • Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender or a wet grinder.
   • Add the fresh grated coconut. Start grinding, adding the 150ml of water for grinding gradually until you achieve a smooth, thick, and slightly grainy batter, similar to the consistency of idli batter.
3. 3

   Activate Yeast and Ferment Batter (1-2 hours)

   • In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and set aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
   • Pour the activated yeast mixture into the ground batter. Add the salt.
   • Using a whisk or your clean hands, mix everything together thoroughly for about a minute to incorporate air.
   • Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to ferment for 1 to 2 hours. The batter should rise, become bubbly, and almost double in volume.
4. 4

   Steam the Sannas (15 minutes per batch)

   • Prepare your steamer by adding 2-3 inches of water to the bottom pot and bringing it to a rolling boil.
   • While the water heats, lightly grease your sanna molds, idli plates, or small steel bowls (katoris) with oil.
   • Gently stir the fermented batter once or twice. Do not overmix, as this will deflate the air pockets.
   • Pour the batter into the greased molds, filling them about 3/4 full to allow space for them to rise.
   • Carefully place the molds in the steamer. Wrap the steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel to prevent condensation from dripping onto the sannas. Cover and steam on medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes.
5. 5

   Cool and Serve (5 minutes)

   • Turn off the heat. Let the steamer stand for 2 minutes before opening the lid to prevent the sannas from deflating.
   • To check for doneness, insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of a sanna; it should come out clean.
   • Carefully remove the molds from the steamer and let them cool for another 2-3 minutes.
   • Run a knife or spoon around the edges of the sannas to loosen them and gently demold.
   • Serve the hot, fluffy sannas immediately with Goan pork sorpotel, chicken xacuti, or coconut chutney.