Food-loving Surtis can never lag behind in savouring seasonal treats. With ponk season in full swing, we talk about the tender grain and creative ways to relish it.‘Gujaratis’ and ‘food’ are inseparable from each other and winter is that one season when we have ample seasonal delicacies to binge on. They are not only finger-licking good, but also help us stay warm and healthy. One such food item is ponk.You aren’t a Surti if you haven’t had ponk with limbu-mari ni sev, lasan ni sev, saadi sev and sakariya dana. Lasan ni chutney and chaas are other delightful accompainments. “Whenever I come to Surat during winters, I make sure I visit the ponk stalls at Ghod Dod Road. I am a huge ponk vada fan and piping hot ponk vadas with chai are just perfect for an early morning breakfast or an evening snack with friends,” says actor Gaurav Paswala.“Ponk is vani nu jowar or jowar that is not allowed to grow fully, and as a result, remains soft. It is roasted under smouldering ashes, husked and eaten raw and fresh,” says food blogger Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal. Apart from having ponk in its raw form and making the usual ponk items like ponk patties and ponk vada, you can do a lot more with this mildly sweet lentil-like bean.It can not only be added in salads, pulao, and samosas but you can also make a whole variety of yummy items from ponk like ponk bhel, ponk no chino, ponk ni kheer etc. Homemaker and food enthusiast Swati Sheth, who runs a small catering service from home, says, “I love cooking and experimenting with food and winter is when I get a lot of new, interesting ingredients to play with. Ponk is one of my favourites. I specially order ponk in large quantities so that I can get it at a discounted price. I store it in those special vegetable net bags and stock it in the freezer to enjoy it for a couple of months.”