Minil Songa

Minil Songa

Minil Songa

Veg Vegan

Garo glutinous rice cake wrapped in banana leaf — sticky rice soaked and then steamed in a banana leaf parcel until the rice becomes dense, slightly chewy, and fragrant from the leaf. Made at Wangala (the Garo harvest festival) and other celebrations; eaten plain or alongside pork preparations.

Cuisines

Meghalayan

Best for

Breakfast Snacks

Recipe

Prep: 10 min Cook: 30 min Total: 40 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup black sesame seeds
1 cup sticky rice
2 cups water
salt to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the sticky rice thoroughly and soak it in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. 2 Drain the soaked rice and set aside.
  3. 3 In a dry pan, roast the black sesame seeds on low heat until they are fragrant and start to pop. Be careful not to burn them.
  4. 4 Allow the roasted sesame seeds to cool, then grind them into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
  5. 5 In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
  6. 6 Add the soaked and drained sticky rice to the boiling water.
  7. 7 Cook the rice on a low flame, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and the water is absorbed.
  8. 8 Once the rice is cooked, add the ground sesame seeds and salt to taste.
  9. 9 Mix well until the sesame seeds are evenly distributed throughout the rice.
  10. 10 Serve warm as a side dish or a light meal.

Tips

For a richer flavor, you can add a teaspoon of mustard oil while mixing the sesame seeds with the rice.