Pakeeza Biryani

We've been here at Ratan Mansion for a while now, right in Shop No 8. If you know Mumbai Central at all, you probably know where the old Alexendra Cinema is. We are just a short walk from there and R S Nimkar. It’s a busy spot, always something happening outside on the street with the taxis and people rushing to catch their trains. We start pretty early every morning getting the big metal pots ready. Making biryani takes a lot of time and we don't really like to rush the slow-cooking process. Usually, the smell starts hitting the sidewalk by mid-morning. Some days the kitchen gets really hot, especially in the summer months when the humidity in Mumbai is high, but that's just how it is when you're cooking over big flames all day. We see a lot of people coming through our door. Some are regulars who live in the neighborhood and others are just passing through. The shop isn't huge, but it fits what we need for the daily work. We mostly focus on getting the rice and the meat tender. It's not a fancy place. We have some tables, the walls are plain, and we keep things simple. Sometimes it gets a bit loud when the lunch crowd arrives all at once, but we manage to get everyone fed. Most of us have been working here together for years so we have a good rhythm. It’s hard work, standing on your feet all day, but it feels good to finish up.