Amdavadi Naylon Khaman

We started Amdavadi Naylon Khaman here in Surat quite a few years ago. It’s a busy spot most mornings. People come in when they’re headed to work or just out for a walk. We mostly stick to making khaman, focusing on getting the texture right so it stays soft. The shop is small and we keep things pretty simple. There isn't a lot of fancy equipment or anything, just the usual steamers and large trays. Mostly, we spend our time checking the batter and making sure the mustard seeds and green chillies are fresh. It gets hot in the kitchen during the rush, but that's just how it is. We’ve seen the neighborhood change a lot over the years. New shops come and go, but we’re still here in the same spot. It’s mostly regular faces we see every day, which is nice. Sometimes we run out of stuff earlier than expected if the weekend crowd is big. We don't really have a big staff, just a couple of us working the counters and the back. It’s hard work, standing on your feet all day, but we've gotten used to it. The floor gets a bit messy with flour sometimes, but we clean up when there's a break. We try to keep things moving so nobody has to wait too long. It’s just a normal local place, nothing too complicated about it. We just open up early and stay until the trays are empty.