Sodanna-sweet rice from Bohiri community

Sodanna is a basic white rice , sprinkled with  ghee and granulated sugar . This is served by the Bohri community on special religious occasions .Adding rasmalai to it takes this rice to another level.

This is the last week of our April Mega Marathon where our theme is Biryani , Pulaos and Khichadi . This week we shall post for only two days and the month shall end . For these two days I shay be posting Sweet Rice .

My hubby is back home early evening , since we are not fond of going out we spend our evenings watching different shows . Now these shows are anything between action shows , some South Indian dubbed movies , Pakistani dramas and last but not the least cookery shows .

One of the recent cookery shows that we saw was hosted by Chef Ranveer Brar and he visits a Bohiri family to enjoy a complete Bohiri Thal .Every meal in a Bohiri family starts and ends with taking a grain of salt which is believed to clear the taste bud and cure many diseases. On special occasions Sodanna follows the salt . I know many communities serve rice and sugar , but I was not aware of this rice and custom followed by the Bohiri’s. What was more interesting was that the host served rice , ghee , sugar and Rasmalai ! Rasmalai’s are a typical Bengali sweet which can be made at home or you could buy at any Indian sweet shop.They then eat this rice and rasmalai by squishing the rasmalai along with rice with their hands . I seriously wondered about this unique combo and hence decided to post Sodanna .

The squished rasmalai with ghee , sugar and rice actually tasted awesome . The saffron and nuts in the rasmalai enhanced the flavours and it was a treat to enjoy this rice .

Now a little about the eating style of this community . Most traditional Bohra families eat their meals sitting together around a huge steel plate or thal as they call it . This thal is always placed on a stand like thing and at least 8 people must sit around this thal . They eat from a single plate and once that plate gets over they start with the other dish . Their heads must be covered at all times.This is very unique experience and was introduced by the ancestors to build brotherhood and closeness amongst those eating together. A insight into this cuisine is interesting , but hard to cook as most of the dishes are non vegetarian . Well as of now let’s enjoy the Sodanna.
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Sodanna-sweet rice from Bohiri community

Sodanna

Ingredients

1/2 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp ghee
2-3 tbsp granulated sugar
Few rasmalais

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 20-30 minutes .
Drain the rice and put the rice in a rice cooker .
Add 1 cup water and switch on the cook mode .
Once the rice is ready the cooker will shift to warm mode .
Remove the rice in the serving plate .
Drizzle the ghee and sprinkle sugar while the rice is still hot .
Place a couple of rasmalais on the top .
Garnish with saffron .
Enjoy the rice by squishing the rasmalai with your hands .

Sodanna-sweet rice from Bohiri community

Here are some other sweet rice recipes –

Zarda

Tahiri

Zarda , Kashmiri Style

Here is what I have been posting under the Biryani, Pulao, Khichadi Festival –

Day 1 How to cook Rice with Absorption Method
Day 2 How to cook Perfect Rice for Biryani
Day 3 How to cook Rice in a Pressure Cooker
Day 4 How to cook Rice in a Microwave
Day 5 How to cook Rice in a Rice Cooker
Day 6 How to cook Basic Khichadi
Day 7 Undhiyu Biryani 
Day 8 Banarasi Tandoori Biryani
Day 9 Bharwan Mirch ki Biryani
Day 10 Sindhi Thooma wara Chawara
Day 11 Achaari Panneer Pulao
Day 12 Nuts Pulao
Day 13 Mumbai Tawa Khichadi
Day 14 Vegetable Layered Khichadi
Day 15 Khichadi Bowl
Day 16 Stuffed Rice
Day 17 Kulhad wale Rajma Chawal
Day 18 Rice and Curry in Banana Leaf Packets
Day 19 Cheesy Baked Rice with Vegetables
Day 20 Maklouba
Day 21 Wild Rice with Grilled Veggies
Day 22 Thai Coconut Curry Rice
Day 23 Spanish Paellea

Sodanna

Sodanna is a basic white rice , sprinkled with granulated sugar and ghee . This is served by the Bohri community on special religious occasions .Adding rasmalai to it takes it to another level.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Rice
Cuisine Indian Cuisine
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup basmati rice
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 2-3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • Few rasmalais

Instructions

  • Wash and soak the rice for 20-30 minutes .
  • Drain the rice and put the rice in a rice cooker .
  • Add 1 cup water and switch on the cook mode .
  • Once the rice is ready the cooker will shift to warm mode .
  • Remove the rice in the serving plate .
  • Drizzle the ghee and sprinkle sugar while the rice is still hot .
  • Place a couple of rasmalais on the top .
  • Garnish with saffron .
  • Enjoy the rice by squishing the rasmalai with your hands

10 thoughts on “Sodanna-sweet rice from Bohiri community”

  1. Recently I took a break from my favorite Korean dramas and moved to Pakistani ones and currently enjoying them. 🙂
    Beautiful clicks. I am hearing about the sodanna for the first time and your colorful presentation is making me drool here in spite of it’s simplicity.

  2. Sodanna is a new dish to me. Sounds nice and flavorful with ghee and sugar. Love the addition of Rasmalai on top of it which gives extra richness to the dish. Yummy

  3. At first I thought you have added rasmalai too while cooking, was searching as to were. This is such a nice and a different idea of serving a sweet rice.

  4. Lucky that you get to watch cookery shows with hubby. Mine runs away. Hahaha. This recipe is a unique find Vaishali. So interesting. Must try this to know how rasmalai tastes with rice.

  5. I think this is made during Eid at some Bohri families I know .. I love watching cookery shows too, and the kids also have started this trend especially since masterchef australia !

  6. Very interesting read about the traditions and the recipe. Loved your presentation here also. Will love to try rasmali with rice. Thanks for sharing it.

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