Q1: Can you eat raw ponk without cooking it?
Yes. In Surat, customers eat most ponk fresh at roadside stalls immediately after the charcoal-roasting and winnowing stage. The charcoal process lightly steams the kernel in its own husk, making it tender, digestible, and safe to eat raw.
Q2: Is ponk gluten-free?
Ponk is 100% gluten-free because it is derived entirely from young sorghum (jowar). However, if you are buying street-side mixtures, ensure that the accompanying sev does not contain wheat flour binders or asafetida compounded with wheat starch.
Q3: What does ponk taste like?
Ponk tastes similar to a cross between sweet young green peas, sweet corn, and edamame, layered with an unmistakable aroma of woodsmoke and a soft, juicy chew.
Q4: How long does fresh ponk stay good in the refrigerator?
Raw, fresh ponk lasts roughly 2 to 3 days in an airtight container under refrigeration before its natural sugars convert into starch and the skin turns leathery. For longer storage, freeze it immediately; frozen ponk preserves its texture for up to six months.
