CHICAGO – A small North Facet bakery provides desserts for dozens of Indian and Pakistani eating places in Chicago, and its success comes from a girl who, some say, made the perfect Indo-Pak sweets in Chicago.
The backstory:
Gulab jamun is a basic South Asian deal with. It’s a lightweight, candy ball submerged in sugar syrup.
The recipe has been handed down via generations—now to the house owners of Al Hamd Sweets in Albany Park.
Rising up, Humza and Syed Ahmad watched their mom hand roll hundreds of pastries for events, weddings, and household gatherings—till 2023 when she was hit and killed by a automobile whereas crossing the road in entrance of Humza’s eyes.
Now, the brothers are carrying on their mom’s ardour.
“She did every part by hand… for years too. So that you simply have to understand it,” mentioned Syed.
“That is the easiest way we will honor them is to proceed the work that they had been doing,” mentioned Humza.
The 25- and 26-year-old Pakistani People had by no means run a enterprise. Chicago restaurant proprietor Faraz Sardharia grew to become their mentor.
“It’s a specialty dessert, and it’s a household recipe that entails quite a lot of tradition,” Sardharia mentioned.
“Tradition is a really lovely factor,” mentioned Syed.
“One massive household, completely different flavors, however like one massive household,” Humza added.
Dig deeper:
Utilizing business bakery machines, they produce in seconds what used to take hours. Social media websites gasoline their increasing wholesale enterprise. From mother’s kitchen to the lots, Al Hamd Sweets now are bought in 70 grocery shops and eating places.
“You recognize, their mother left them with probably the greatest presents on the earth, is making ready these Gulab jamuns with love. And I believe that’s what Al Hamd Sweets stands for. Love,” Sardharia mentioned. “It’s a significant identify and particularly for a enterprise born from love, loss and legacy.”
When requested what mother would assume, the brothers mentioned she’d be pleased.
“Happy with us. And simply need to proceed doing good work for ourselves, our household, and likewise the group,” Humza mentioned.
That’s the key ingredient to mother’s recipe.
The Supply: FOX 32’s Joanie Lum reported on this story.
