Rana Sweet & Namkeen

The kitchen gets hot really fast especially when the big pans are on the fire. We are located right in Phase 1 of Budh Vihar in Rohini at shop number T 15. Every morning starts with milk being delivered and then the sugar gets hauled in. We spend most of the day frying namkeen or stirring the milk until it thickens for the sweets. There is always a lot of steam in the back room. The front counter has trays of barfi and different types of salty snacks that we pack into plastic bags. Sometimes the floor gets a bit sticky because of the syrup, but we try to mop it when it gets quiet. People from the neighborhood come in for a quick snack or to take something home for their kids. It is a loud place because of the exhaust fans and the traffic outside on the main road. We don’t have much space for sitting so most people just stand and eat or take their stuff away. My hands are usually covered in flour or grease by the time we close up at night. The lights inside are a bit bright and the shelves are crowded with tins. It’s just us doing the same work every day to keep the trays full. We don’t use any big machines, mostly just our hands and some old ladles. On festival days, we have to stay late and make extra batches because everyone wants their favorite treats. The smell of frying ghee usually fills the whole street by noon.