Shree Ram Namkin Kachori Bhandar

Our shop, Shree Ram Namkin Kachori Bhandar, is right there at Aerodrome Circle, which is always a whirlwind of activity. We have to start our day very early, long before most people are even awake, to get the kachoris ready for the morning crowd. The big iron kadhai is filled with oil and we get the fire going while the air is still a bit cool. By the time the sun comes up and the traffic starts building around the circle, we already have the first batches coming out hot. It’s a small place, and most of our customers just stand on the sidewalk to eat from their paper plates. We don’t have much in the way of seating, and the space behind the counter is pretty cramped with all the bags of flour and spices. There is always a bit of a mess with some flour on the floor or oil splatters on the wall, but we clean up as much as we can when things slow down. People from all over stop by here, especially the workers who need a quick breakfast before they head off to their jobs. The noise from the Aerodrome Circle is constant, but you sort of stop hearing it after an hour. We just focus on the smell of the spices and making sure there’s enough chutney for everyone. It is a simple life and we just take it one day at a time.