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It occurred to us here at The World that observing the holy month would be even more difficult if you work in the food industry. There’s a Pakistani-Indian restaurant just down the street from our office called Darbar. We walked over to pay them a visit and see how they manage during Ramadan. We were greeted by owners Gulman Khalid and his brother Irfan. Download MP3

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JEB SHARP: It’s one thing to fast all day.  It’s another thing to fast all day when you’re a chef, surrounded by the tempting products of your labor.  That’s the case with Gulman Khalid and his brother, Irfan.  They own a Pakistani-Indian restaurant called Darbar.  It’s about a five-minute walk from our studios.

SHARP: Hello, I’m Jeb.

GULMAN KHALID: How are you?  Hi.  Nice meeting you.

SHARP: We want to know what you’re cooking, and how Ramadan is going.

KHALID: It’s very good.  This is spinach, onion – I just get ready, a little bit brown, and then I put the chicken inside, and all spice [INDISCERNIBLE]

SHARP: What changes in the cooking during Ramadan?

KHALID: Usually, it’s a very festive month.  And homes here, in Islamic family, they’ll all get up in the morning around 3:30 and start preparing, you know – perhaps they’re making the ghee and some yogurt and – you have to force the first couple days, because 3:30, who wants to eat.  And then you have around 16 hours, 17 hours all day, you know, without any food.  So whatever – you want to manage to have something in your stomach.  In our cooking right here, we have, during the day, we have – nobody is here, because most of the people, they’re going to mosque and they’re breaking their fast.  And we are catering to mosque, and some families, they order food, “All right, we’re gonna take for 60 people,” or, “for a hundred people, food, to the mosque.”

SHARP: So you’re cooking all day.

KHALID: Yeah.

SHARP: For food for people when they break their fast.

KHALID: Yes.

SHARP: And what is it like to cook all day, to be around food, in the kitchen, when you’re hungry?

KHALID: We don’t get hungry.  When you see food all the time – we are not hungry, hungry, you know?  And it’s a wonderful feeling, actually, Ramadan.  Just try a couple days.  Come with us, you know – it’s wonderful.

SHARP What does it feel like?

KHALID: Feel like – just great.  You are cleaning yourself.  You are cleaning your body, you know.

SHARP: Do you have Muslim friends who don’t observe Ramadan, who come –

KHALID: Ah, yes, yes, yes.  Absolutely, you know.

SHARP: What’s that like?  Do they come in to eat?

KHALID: No.  Nobody comes here.  Nobody comes here.  And I – they do respect – if they have something they’re doing, they’re doing home.  They’re, you know, whatever.  But nobody who is not Muslim and they’re coming, [INDISCERNIBLE] “All right, give me the food.”  You know.  Nahari is – everybody loves Nahari.  It’s a beef shank –

MALE VOICE: Beef; good beef.

KHALID: It is a shank meat, and it doesn’t break it.  It’s very soft, very yum, yum, yum.  And you serve with the cilantro and green pepper.

SHARP: You may not be getting hungry, but I am getting very hungry.

KHALID: Well, we have the food ready.  Help yourself.  And it’s on the house.

SHARP: Get a look at the chefs, walking the fine line, cooking during Ramadan, at theworld.org.

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