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You'll take turns at Filomena's wooden husking pole, learning the rhythm of pounding rice that once echoed through every Goan village courtyard. She'll sift the flour by hand and use it to steam a batch of sannas while you finish your turn at the pole, arms aching in the best way.
Hand-pounded rice flour has a texture and flavour electric mills can't replicate, and the pounding pole itself, once a fixture in every village home, is now rarely seen outside demonstrations like this.
Rice pounding was traditionally communal work among Goan women, done to rhythmic songs, producing the rice flour used in festive sweets and everyday bread.
We're still verifying a practitioner for this experience — check back soon.
Morning
Learn the husking pole technique and take turns pounding
Late morning
Sift and prepare the flour
Midday
Taste freshly steamed sannas made from your flour
Difficulty
Moderate — repetitive physical effort
Age suitability
12 and up
Wooden husking pole
Sifting rice flour
Steamed sannasPhotographs from this experience will replace these panels once available.
Is this physically demanding?
Pounding takes some arm strength, but Filomena paces the session and everyone takes turns resting.
What sweets will we taste?
Usually sannas, and patoleo when jackfruit leaves are in season.
“My arms were sore the next day but the sannas were worth it.”
Nisha K. · 5/5
“A lovely, humble morning learning something my grandmother used to do.”
George A. · 4/5
Not a sight to see — a practice to enter.