Sannas

Goan Catholic festival bread tied to the 16th-century Portuguese colonization and the Christian conversion of coastal castes. Coconut toddy — the lightly fermented sap of the coconut palm — was the local yeast equivalent before commercial yeast existed. Sannas became the bread for Sunday curries and weddings, especially paired with sorpotel, because both keep well overnight and the toddy was tapped fresh on Saturday mornings.

Goan Catholic festival bread tied to 16th-century Portuguese conversion of coastal castes. Coconut toddy is the load-bearing detail — fresh sap carries wild yeasts and natural sugar that commercial yeast can't replicate. Without toddy the crumb is flat; any Goan grandmother spots it.

Small white domes the size of a large muffin top — open-pored, slightly sweet, faintly tangy from overnight ferment. Eaten torn, dipped into sorpotel or vindaloo gravy; the sponge soaks up the dark spiced oil and that's the point. Should bounce back when pressed; dense or gummy means the toddy was old or the second rise was skipped.

Toddy is the load-bearing detail. Fresh coconut toddy contains live wild yeasts plus a touch of natural sugar — it leavens the soaked-rice batter overnight in a way that commercial yeast can't replicate, giving sannas their faint tang and bigger irregular crumb. Bakers without toddy use yeast plus a spoon of feni or a pinch of sugar; it's edible but flatter, and any Goan grandmother will tell you straight away.