Saandan – steamed rice and coconut milk cake from the Konkan region of Maharashtra.
Saandan made with rice and coconut milk is a kind of idli from the Konkan region of Maharashtra. There are two types of Saandan. One is made with rice and coconut milk by the Konkani Muslim community. It is traditionally prepared for festive occasions like Eid and is served with meat curries. The second variety of Saandan is made with rice and fruits such as mango and jackfruit. This variety of Saandan is more like a tea time snack.
Today, I am sharing the recipe of Saandan made with rice and coconut milk. Though this looks like idli, the taste is very different from idlis. They pair well with meat curries and vegetable curries. I like to serve saandan with Malvani vatana usal. It is a winning combination.
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About Saandan
Saandan is steamed rice and coconut milk cake traditionally made by the Konkani Muslim community of Maharashtra. A batter of rice and coconut milk is made and fermented to make Saandan. The batter is steamed in circular flat moulds. Saandans can be made in idli moulds or steamed in shallow plates too. It is made for special occasions like Eid and is generally paired with meat curries.
List of ingredients to make Saandan
Rice : You can use Kolam or Ambemohar rice to make Saandan.
Coconut
Sugar and salt
Step-wise recipe with pictures
Wash and drain the rice. Spread the washed rice in a plate or a cloth and dry it in sun or under the fan for 3 to 4 hours.
Once the rice is dry, transfer it to a mixer jar ad grind it to a coarse powder.
Sieve the rice powder to get two different textures of rice powder – the sieve will contain the coarse powder and the finer rice powder will collect under it.
Grind freshly scraped coconut with ¾ cup of hot water to a smooth paste. Strain this using a muslin cloth or a strainer to get the first, thick exctract of coconut milk. Keep the first extract of coconut milk aside.
Blend the coconut remains again alongwith ¾ cup of hot water. Strain and get the second extract of coconut milk (thin coconut milk).
Transfer thin coconut milk to a pan. Bring this to a gentle boil.
Now, add the coarse rice powder.
Mix well and cook on low flame until the coconut milk is fully absorbed.
Take the pan off the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.
In a separate vessel/mixing bowl, add the fine rice powder, powdered sugar, salt and thick coconut milk. Mix well.
Add the cooked, cooled rice mixture into this and mix well.
The batter should be thick like idli batter. You can add water to adjust the consisitency of the batter. Cover and keep aside to ferment for 7 to 8 hours.
Once the batter is fermented, grease idli moulds, or small steel bowls or shallow plates with little oil.
Pour the batter into small steel bowls and steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Traditionally, Saandan is made in circular flat moulds. Since I didnt have the mould, I have used steel bowls to steam the saandans, I have filled the bowls upto 1/3rd of its capacity.
Remove from the steamer and let it cool for some time. Unmould the saandan and serve with meat curry or Malvani Kaala vatana usal.
Note: Many people use yeast or baking soda for fermenting the batter. But I have not used any fermenting agent. The batter has fermented well naturally. The coarse rice powder cooked with coconut milk which is added to the batter helps in fermentation.
Recipe Card
Saandan
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice (preferably Kolam or Ambemohar)
- 1 fresh coconut / 3 cups of scraped coconut
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and drain the rice.
- Spread the washed rice on a plate or a cloth and dry it in sun or under the fan for 3 to 4 hours.
- Once the rice is dry, transfer it to a mixer jar ad grind it to a coarse powder.
- Sieve the rice powder to get two different textures of rice powder Keep aside. – the sieve will contain the coarse powder and the finer rice powder will collect under it.
- Grind freshly scraped coconut with ¾ cup of hot water to a smooth paste.
- Strain this using a muslin cloth or a strainer to get the first, thick extract of coconut milk.
- Keep the first extract of coconut milk aside.
- Blend the coconut remains again alongwith ¾cup of hot water.
- Strain and get the second extract of coconut milk (thin coconut milk).
- Transfer thin coconut milk to a pan.
- Bring this to a gentle boil.
- Now, add the coarse rice powder.
- Mix well and cook on low flame until the coconut milk is fully absorbed.
- Take the pan off the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.
- In a separate vessel/mixing bowl, add the fine rice powder, powdered sugar, salt and thick coconut milk. Mix well.
- Add the cooked, cooled rice mixture into this and mix well.
- The batter should be thick like idli batter. You can add water to adjust the consistency of the batter.
- Cover and keep aside to ferment for 7 to 8 hours
- Once the batter is fermented, grease idli moulds, or small steel bowls or shallow plates with little oil.
- Pour the batter and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the steamer and let it cool for some time.
- Unmould the saandan and serve with meat curry or Malvani Kaala vatana usal
Notes
Related Recipes
Steamed cucumber cake
Steamed jackfruit cake
Jackfruit Dhonas
Steamed Bottlegourd Cake
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Happy Cooking!!
Superb traditional style recipe
a fantastic recipe
Just WOW life made simple was wondering how its made though I know a similar Kerala dish called Appams Thank you for this easy to make going to make it (the cook will do the rest )actually love to cook but now old n love to eat LOL Have a good day
Yes it is easy but may be a little time consuming. Do try and let me know the outcome. Good day to you too.