Pongal 2023: Celebrate the harvest festival by eating from these Mumbai kitchens

Bring on the harvest festival with these special harvest items

State of the art

Known for their pure vegetarian feasts with delights from every corner of South India, Banana Leaf’s Pongal nalwaltu fest is something to look forward to. ven pongal, almond semiya pongal, tengai pal chakra pongal, parripu paal chakra pongal, kara pongal and Andhra-style rice kheer to make it a feast to remember.
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Banana Leaf
PRICE: Rs 195 onwards
TO ORDER: Available at all outlets, Swiggy and Zomato

Down south

Walk down the lanes of Chennai with harvest-inspired meals at ITC’s Dakshin Coastal. The highlight of the traditional meal is the Pongal Special made with freshly harvested rice and moong dal tempered with ghee in a clay pot. Add to that podi idlis, venpogal, varieties of sambar, kootan, chutney, vegetables, pickle and a sumptuous bowl of traditional payassam.
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Dakshin Coastal
PRICE: Rs 2,400 
CALL:28303030

Pair that

A joint venture by a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law duo, Dilmil Delicacies makes fresh south Indian delicacies with less spice. For Pongal, they have a special menu of ven pongal, idli, chutney, sambar, sarkari pongal, rice, curd, and appalam.
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Dilmil Delicacies 
PRICE: Rs 350 onwards
TO ORDER: 9833915133

Home-style love

Sundari’s Kitchen’s Janaki Gopalakrishnan and her daughter Deepa tell us how the third generation is running the reigns of a home kitchen, inspired by the late matriach Sundari. “At the age of 80, she could cook a meal for 20; this home kitchen is a tribute to her passion,” says Janaki, who describes the harvest festival of Pongal as a four-day feast in Tamil Nadu.

“It is considered a thanksgiving festival, celebrated to pay gratitude to the Sun god and lord Indra for helping the farmers get a good yield. The word Pongal is derived from Tamil literature, which means “to boil”. “During the festival, people reject old belongings and welcome the new. The preparation of the traditional Pongal is the most important custom,” she adds. On the menu this year, there is chakara pongal (sweet), medu vada, ven pongal (salty), sambar,  and avial available on pre-order. 
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Sundari’s Kitchen
PRICE: Rs 100 onwards
TO ORDER: 9833426176

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