The production center of this phenomenon remains the Surati ponk bazaar, centered around the Adajan and Dumas road corridors in Surat. Here, temporary canvas stalls pop up each December, lit by hanging halogen bulbs and filled with drifting smoke.
The traditional charcoal roasting process follows a precise operational order:
- The Sheaf Pack: Harvesters cut the sorghum stalks with the grain heads (ponkhda) fully intact, tying them into tight, portable bundles.
- The Charcoal Flash: Workers lay the heads directly over shallow pits filled with smoldering cow dung cakes and hardwood charcoal. The moisture inside the protective husks vaporizes, steaming the tender grain from the inside out while searing the exterior with aromatic smoke.
- The Mallet Thresh: The charred heads transfer immediately into coarse burlap sacks. Men wield heavy wooden beaters (mogri), striking the bundles with rhythmic blows to dislodge the grains without pulverizing them.
- The Winnowing: Women take the warm, mixed debris into wide bamboo trays (soopda), tossing the contents into the evening breeze to separate the light, papery husks from the dense green seeds.
The resulting grain feels warm to the touch, soft under the teeth, and yields a distinct balance of vegetal sweetness and woodsmoke.
| Grain Style & Region | Harvest Window | Preparation Method | Traditional Accompaniments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surati Ponk (Gujarat) | Late Nov, Early Feb | Charcoal roasted, mallet-threshed | Limbu mari sev, sakar (sugar balls) |
| Hurda (Maharashtra) | Dec, Mid-Jan | Pit-roasted over dried dung/wood | Peanut chutney, dry garlic chutney, curd |
| Roasted Green Millet (North India) | October, November | Direct flame roasting (bajra ears) | Salt, chaat masala, melted ghee |
| Mature Grain Sorghum (Global) | Year-round (dry storage) | Milled into flour, boiled, or popped | Rotis, porridge, processed breakfast cereals |
