Wood fire for that old-school Ponggal vibe

Stock up: Customers checking sugar cane sold at a roadside stall near the Little India in George Town, Penang. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Nothing like properly dried firewood to get a crackling fire going for the Ponggal festival, and seller S. Hemalatha does not disappoint.

While getting a claypot overflowing with boiling milk rice is a joyful ceremony for celebrants, this time-honoured tradition is even more meaningful when using a rustic woodfire stove.