Sandan or Sanna is a spongy, sweet rice recipe, which is cooked by steaming. It is combined with sheer kurma on the day of Eid. It is a Konkani delight, made by old rice, coconut milk and sugar. The rice is ground into flour, which is combined with coconut milk and allowed to ferment overnight followed by adding sugar and finally steamed to form Sandan. Another sweetened version can be made with jaggery too. The fermentation can be quickened using yeast. The given recipe is made without yeast and instead overnight fermentation is done.
Sandan is a special recipe during the Eid festival. Relish the sweetened coconut’s flavour of this dish, which is popular in Goa and Damaon, Mangalore, Bombay, and Bassein. It is like a rice-coconut dumpling that has its origins from the Konkan region of India. Christians take pleasure in eating this dish for their important occasions such as weddings and christenings.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ kg rice
- 3 big coconuts
- Sugar as required
Method:
Preparation of Rice Flour Rawa
- Take two and half kg rice, wash thoroughly and dry them for 4 hours
- Finally make Rice Flour Rawa as you grind coarsely
- Now, separate two types of Rice Flour Rawa by passing through sieves, one thick grade Rice Flour Rawa (1750 grams) using bigger opening sieve and the other finely ground Rice Flour Rawa (250 grams) using thin sieve. (The remnants, approx. 250 grams do not have to be used for the recipe)
Preparation of Coconut Milk
- Take three big coconuts and grate them
- Now transfer the grated coconuts in a grinding jar
- Add water just enough to cover the coconut
- Mix them in a grinding jar
- Now separate milk by passing the coconut and water mixture through a sieve. The coconut solids have to be hand-pressed to collect more quantity and thicker milk
- The coconut solids collected above the sieve have to be mixed again with water and passed through the sieve. The milk now separated will be thinner
- Keep the two types of milk thick and thin one in two separate bowls
Preparation of Sandan Batter
- Add the thin milk into a vessel to heat. Keep the flame low.
- Add the finely ground Rice Flour Rawa and continue stirring while the heat is on
- Add half a teaspoon of salt to balance the taste
- Keep stirring and ensure there are no lumps. This will take at least 10 minutes.
- As the water leaves, the mixture becomes thicker
- Let this mixture cool for sometime
- Transfer the Rice Flour Rawa mixture in a bigger vessel
- Now, add the thicker coconut milk in the Rice Flour Rawa mixture. Keep adding some thick Rice Flour Rawa and thick coconut milk and keep mixing with hand to maintain a solid consistency. The total mixture should not be too solid or too liquid. The remaining milk can be used for some other recipe
- Now, cover the vessel with a lid and leave it as it is for overnight for fermentation
- The batter is ready to be made into Sandan
Steaming of Sandan
- Take a vessel and add the required amount of batter into a separate vessel
- Add sugar in the batter as per taste. Keep checking the amount of sugar needed
- Now, take small bowls to contain the prepared batter; color may also be added to the batter
- Take an Idli vessel or steaming cooker
- Fill the base with water and cover the steamer lid
- Let the batter cook for at least 20 minutes
The Sandan is ready to be served
Take the sandan pieces out with the help of spoon. Sandan is sometimes also called as Sannas. This is special to the Muslims, Konkanis, and Christians for many occasions. The sweetness imparted by sugar or jaggery makes it a dessert that is fancied by adults and children alike.
