Step into Pongal with a village-style harvest spread

This Pongal, independent chef, food researcher and culinary storyteller Gokul Kumar Mohit, popularly known as Chef Goku, collaborates with Molasses to celebrate Tamil Nadu’s harvest heritage through a thoughtfully curated farm-to-table experience rooted in tradition, gratitude and community.

Titled Pongal Thiruvizha Virundhu, the event is envisioned as more than a festive meal. It is a journey back to the fields.

“Every grain carries the memory of the soil. For this farm-to-table event, we are sourcing ingredients directly from farms in villages across Thanjavur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Madurai and the Thindivanam region. The menu is curated around authentic village harvest recipes,” says Chef Goku.

Planned in the traditional ela sappad, or banana leaf feast, format, the spread is predominantly vegetarian, with two non-vegetarian dishes—nattu kozhi kuzhambu and eral thokku. “Koottan choru is traditionally prepared in villages during the harvest festival, and we are serving poovan samba koottan choru cooked with rice, toor dal and native vegetables. We also have kuru milagu ven pongal, served with thalagam, a rustic dish prepared using seven different native vegetables,” explains the chef.

Guests will be welcomed with panakam, a drink made with jaggery and dry ginger. The feast includes ilam manjal pirandai thuvayal, payaru sundal, venkakka varuval, kathirikka gothsu, thandu keerai milagu kootal, avarai poriyal, vazhathandu thayir pachadi, medhu vadai and mahali kizhangu pickle. Desserts include payasam and kavuni arisi sakkara pongal, prepared with karupatti.

Beyond the food, the celebration invites guests to participate in a community Pongal at the farm. Visitors can take part in traditional Pongal activities, feed and decorate cows, paint the pongal pot, walk around the farm and gain a deeper understanding of the farm-to-table philosophy.

The heritage banana leaf feast, says Chef Goku, is a celebration of the sun, soil, rice and resilience; the enduring spirit of the Tamil harvest.

@Molasses, Thindivanam. January 16. 12 noon to 5 pm. Entry is ₹1800 which includes meals and activities. To register, call: