Jalaram Khaman House

At Jalaram Khaman House, things start moving way before the sun even comes up. We are situated in Surat on 3rd Temple Road, at 2/24 A. The first thing I do every morning is get the big steamers going. The smell of the batter cooking fills up the whole space and even drifts out onto 3rd Temple Road. It’s a small shop, and most of the space is taken up by the kitchen area where we do all the prep work. We don't have much in the way of fancy seating, just a few stools for people who can't wait to get home to eat. In Surat, people really know their food, so I have to make sure every tray comes out just right. The morning rush is usually the busiest time, with people stopping by on their way to work or the temple nearby. I’m often wiping down the counters and packing up orders as fast as I can. My hands are usually a bit yellow from the turmeric by the end of the shift. It’s a lot of hard work, standing over the heat, but it’s what I know how to do. The shop has been at 2/24 A for a long time, and the locals have become more like friends than customers. We don't do any big advertising; people just find us by the smell of the fresh khaman. It’s a basic, honest way to make a living, and I'm proud of the food we put out every morning.