Chunachi Sannas
गोडाची सान्नां·(choo-naa-chee saan-naa)
Midwest Winter Fermentation: The Instant Pot South Indian Base
To grow up in the dead-of-winter Midwest is to know a bone-deep chill that kills wild yeast on contact. For first-generation families, it meant watching grandmothers swaddle batter bowls in heavy sweaters, praying for a slow rise that tasted like the Konkan coast. Today, the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting, perfectly mimicking the humid heat of Goa to ferment these pillowy, jaggery-stuffed rice cakes. But the real old-world trick isn't the machine—it's tossing a handful of cooked rice into the blender to keep the crumb impossibly soft, delivering a bite of unadulterated heritage without spending all day at the stove.
Before you start
Thawing the coconut.
Desiccated baking coconut will ruin the texture of this recipe; seek out frozen grated coconut from an Indian grocery store and leave it on the counter to thaw before starting.
Ingredients
- parboiled idli rice1 1/2 cup
- raw short-grain rice1/2 cup
- thick poha1/4 cup
- grated coconut1/2 cup
- active dry yeast1 tsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- warm water1/4 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- grated coconut1 cup
- palm jaggery3/4 cup
- green cardamom1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
Method
- 01
Soak the rice and poha.
Place the idli rice, raw rice, and poha in a large bowl, cover with at least two inches of fresh water, and let sit at room temperature for four to six hours.
- 02
Activate the yeast.
Dissolve the sugar into the warm water, sprinkle the yeast over the surface, and let it rest in a dark, warm place for ten minutes until it becomes frothy.
- 03
Grind the batter.
Drain the soaked rice mixture and transfer to a high-powered blender with the half-cup of grated coconut and just enough water to allow the blades to spin, blending until you have a thick paste with the slight graininess of fine semolina.
- 04
Ferment in the Instant Pot.
Transfer the ground batter to the Instant Pot inner pot, mix in the activated yeast and teaspoon of salt, then run the Yogurt setting on Normal for four to six hours until doubled and airy.
- 05
Prepare the sweet filling.
In a small bowl, use your fingers to massage the remaining cup of grated coconut, chopped palm jaggery, ground cardamom, and pinch of salt until the jaggery begins to melt into a dark, fragrant crumb.
- 06
Assemble the cakes.
Lightly grease six to eight small ceramic ramekins, pour in enough batter to fill a quarter of the way, add a generous tablespoon of the sweet filling, and top with more batter until three-quarters full.
- 07
Steam the sannas.
Pour two cups of water into the cleaned Instant Pot, place the ramekins on a trivet, leave the venting valve open, and run the Steam function for fifteen to twenty minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 08
Unmold and serve.
Let the hot ramekins sit in a shallow bath of cold water for two minutes to pull away from the sides, then invert the cakes and serve warm with hot chai.
Notes
Troubleshooting dense cakes.
A dense cake means a fermentation failure. Ensure your water is not hotter than 115 degrees Fahrenheit, or it will kill the yeast on contact. Sticking strictly to the steaming time also prevents rubbery texture.
Working with palm jaggery.
Authentic palm jaggery often comes in rock-hard pyramids. Microwave it for fifteen seconds to soften before grating it into the filling.