Mkatra Siniya — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A dense, golden rice cake baked with coconut milk, eggs, and cardamom in a round tray. This fragrant cake straddles the line between bread and dessert, served at celebrations across the islands.

Ingredients

2 cups rice flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
400ml coconut milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
Pinch of salt

Instructions

1 Dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
2 Whisk eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3 Add rice flour, all-purpose flour, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well.
4 Pour in coconut milk and yeast mixture. Stir until a smooth batter forms.
5 Grease a round baking tray with butter. Pour in the batter.
6 Let rest for 30 minutes in a warm place until slightly risen.
7 Bake at 180C (350F) for 45 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.
8 Cool in the tray, then slice into wedges and serve.

Did You Know?

At Comorian weddings, the mkatra siniya is traditionally baked by the bride's mother and presented on a decorated tray. The roundness symbolizes completeness and unity of the new family.