Grains & Rice

Sannas (Steamed Rice Cake)

Soft, fluffy Goan steamed rice cakes leavened with toddy or yeast.

Sannas are spongy, slightly sweet steamed rice cakes from Goa and the Konkan coast, made from a fermented batter of ground rice and coconut. Traditionally leavened with palm toddy (now often yeast), they puff up soft and pillowy when steamed in small rounds. They are served alongside spicy curries like sorpotel and vindaloo.

Sannas are soft, fluffy steamed rice cakes that hold a cherished place in Goan Catholic cuisine. Unlike other rice cakes, sannas rely on fermentation with toddy (palm wine) or yeast to develop their characteristic light, spongy crumb and subtly tangy flavor. The traditional preparation uses raw rice ground with coconut milk, sweetened lightly with sugar, and steamed in individual moulds called sanna kallachi—historically made of bell metal with intricate patterns. The fermentation process, which takes 8–12 hours, does more than leaven the batter; it creates a mild complexity that balances the richness of the Goan curries they accompany. Sannas are inseparable from celebration—appearing at Christmas, Easter, weddings, and other festive occasions as both practical bread and symbolic offering. The toddy version is the gold standard; fresh toddy collected from coconut palms is sold at toddy shops throughout Goa, and its mildly sweet, complex fermentation flavor cannot be fully replicated with commercial yeast, though the yeast version is a perfectly acceptable modern substitute for those outside Goa.

Measured in: piece
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Sannas with Toddy

Traditional version; toddy imparts a distinctive mild sweetness and complex fermentation flavor that yeast cannot fully replicate.

Sannas with Yeast

Modern urban substitute; uses instant yeast for leavening. Faster and more predictable but lacks toddy's characteristic depth.

Sanna Dosa / Savory Sannas

Batter with added urad dal (black gram) is spread thin on a tawa and cooked like a dosa; a savory adaptation.

Sweet Sannas

Additional sugar makes them dessert-like; sometimes flavored with cardamom for special occasions.

The Role of Toddy

Toddy—fresh palm wine collected from the spadix of the coconut palm—is the defining traditional element of authentic sannas. It serves triple duty: leavening agent, sweetener, and flavor builder. The wild yeasts present in toddy create a more complex fermentation than commercial yeast alone, producing subtle fruity and floral notes that mellow during steaming. Toddy shops throughout Goa supply fresh toddy daily for cooking; it must be used within 24 hours of collection. Urban and diaspora cooks without access to fresh toddy routinely substitute instant yeast, which produces acceptable but perceptibly different results. Goan purists insist the toddy version is irreplaceable for the authentic experience.

Fresh toddy ferments faster than commercial yeast; start checking batter at 6 hours if using toddy
Toddy's sugar content varies; taste your toddy first and adjust added sugar accordingly
If toddy is unavailable, dissolve 1 teaspoon instant yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water as a reliable substitute

Choosing and Preparing Moulds

Traditional sanna kallachi are small bell-metal (kansa) moulds with intricate indentations that give the cakes their characteristic ribbed surface. These are treasured family heirlooms in Goan Catholic homes. For modern cooks, standard idli trays or individual silicone muffin cups work well. The key is generous greasing—sannas are delicate and stick easily. Coconut oil is traditional and adds a faint fragrance; ghee works equally well. Metal idli cups should be well-oiled; silicone cups release more easily but may produce a smoother surface without the traditional texture.

Standard idli moulds: 12-cup trays yield 12 medium sannas
Fill moulds only 3/4 full; the batter rises significantly during steaming
Wipe moulds dry before greasing; water causes uneven oil distribution and sticking

Common uses

Accompaniment to rich Goan curries such as vindaloo, xacuti, sorpotel, and cafreal—their spongy texture absorbs sauce beautifullyTraditional Christmas breakfast or Easter feast component in Goan Catholic homesWedding and celebration fare, often served alongside rich meat dishes as the edible breadEaten warm with a pat of butter melting into the soft crumb as a simple snackServed with coconut chutney as a vegetarian-friendly accompanimentDrizzled with honey as a light dessert, especially the sweeter variantPart of the festive bhandhar (feast spread) at Goan Catholic gatherings

Tips & pitfalls

The toddy-to-batter ratio matters: too little results in dense, unleavened cakes; too much yields overly sour flavor and weak structure. Start with roughly 1 part toddy to 4–5 parts prepared rice batter by volume.
Fermentation is temperature-dependent. In Goa's warm climate, 8 hours suffices; in cooler climates, allow up to 12–14 hours or place the covered batter in a warm oven (85–95°F / 29–35°C) to maintain warmth.
Do not overmix the batter after adding toddy or yeast. Fold gently to incorporate; vigorous stirring deflates the bubbles and produces a dense, heavy texture.
The batter should be pourable like thick cream, not thick like idli batter. If too thick, the sannas will be heavy in the center with raw-tasting cores.
Grease moulds generously with coconut oil or ghee to ensure clean release; sannas are delicate and stick easily, especially at the bottom and sides.
Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the center; it should come out clean. An undercooked center will be gummy and unpleasant.
Sannas are best eaten immediately after steaming while fluffy. They deflate and dry within a few hours; refrigerating causes them to become dense and rubbery.

Nutrition

339kcal

Energy

1418 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 8%Carbs 52%Fat 40%

Protein

14% DV

Carbs

44.3g

16% DV

Fat

15.2g

19% DV

Fiber

4% DV

Sodium

339mg

15% DV

Notable micronutrients

Selenium24% DV

Vitamin B1214% DV

Vitamin A10% DV

Riboflavin (B2)10% DV

Folate10% DV

Thiamin (B1)9% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Cake, coffeecake, cheese

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In the shops

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Good to know

Origin: Goa, India; traditional to Goan Catholic cuisine
Leavening Agent: Toddy (palm wine) or instant yeast
Primary Ingredients: Raw rice, coconut milk, sugar, salt, toddy or yeast
Cooking Method: Steaming in small moulds (sanna kallachi or idli cups)
Fermentation Time: 8–12 hours at room temperature (6–8 hours if using fresh toddy)
Steaming Time: 15–20 minutes
Yield: 12–16 individual cakes per standard recipe
Flavor Profile: Subtly tangy from fermentation, mildly sweet, soft and spongy texture

Substitutes

Idli — Made from rice and urad dal batter; denser and less sweet. Not a close flavor substitute but workable for a similar steamed rice cake in a pinch.
Putu Mayang — Indonesian/Malaysian steamed rice cake made with rice flour and coconut; similar fluffy texture but lacks the fermentation tang that defines sannas.
Idli Rava (Cream of Rice) — Pre-ground rice semolina can be used with yeast for a shortcut sanna-style cake, though traditionalists consider this inferior in both texture and flavor.

Pairs with

VindalooSorpotelXacutiGoan Pork CurryCoconut ChutneyButter Honey

Also called

Steamed Rice Cake · Goan Sannas