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The legendary samosa shop at Karachi University is 49 years old

The legendary samosa shop at Karachi University is 49 years old

Whether you're a student at KU or not, you know about Qasim Samosa Shop.
31 Mar, 2020

Almost half a century ago, when a samosa shop opened up in the grounds of the University of Karachi (KU), students could not have guessed that this shop would become a significant part of their nostalgia for their alma mater in the years to come.

For those studying at KU today, it is a daily ritual to stop at the samosa shop between classes, while there are almuni who often make a special trip to the university just to enjoy its savoury delights.

Set up by a tram conductor in 1971, Qasim Samosa Shop is a landmark in the university’s popular food street called Prem Gali. Currently, the samosa shop is run by Qasim’s grandson Muhammad Saleem Sheikh.

“I was in Grade 4 or 5 when I first visited the shop which was opened by my maternal grandfather known as Qasim bhai,” says Sheikh, as he gets the oil ready for frying a batch of the stuffed triangles.

The bright blue canteen is surrounded by students. As I speak to Sheikh, two teenage boys eagerly eye the frying delicacies, waiting to get their hands on the samosas. They discuss if they want chaat masala (spice powder mix) or not. “Uncle, give us our samosas in two separate bags – one with extra chaat masala, the other without any,” says one of them.

The two boys grab their samosas and immediately start to munch away, while those in queue awaiting their turn look on.

Interestingly enough, apart from degrees and education, the University of Karachi is also known for its savoury delights

Recalling how the shop was when he was a child, Sheikh says, “If I remember correctly, there were two canteens here at that time. One was this samosa shop, and another was the shop right there,” he points to a canteen opposite his, which is famous for its gol gappay and chaat.

“I remember I would buy a 10-litre can of oil for 70 rupees and, up until around 1985, the samosa was sold for 25 paisas,” he recalls. “Now I get a 15-litre can for 2,800 rupees so the one-bite samosa costs four rupees each.” Readers who have been old customers of Qasim’s samosas will recall that the price of one samosa was just three rupees until 2014.

Sheikh speaks of his forefathers who hailed from Gujarat in India. And that is where the magic recipe of the stuffed triangle originated from and travelled to Pakistan with his grandfather. “The concept of the one-bite samosa comes from Gujarat and it is called a Gujarati samosa,” he says. As for the other popular samosas, those that are bigger in size, are called Punjabi samosas, Sheikh explains.

The difference, he explains, is that, “In Punjabi samosas, the potato is roughly crushed, whereas in the Gujarati version it is in a mashed form.” Mostly the condiment served with Punjabi samosas is chutney. However, Qasim’s samosa shop does not serve chutney. Instead, a special chaat masala (spicy powder) is sprinkled over the savoury snack to add the right tanginess.

Sheikh has been running the show for the past nine years. “I worked in the banking sector previously. Even though the pay was good, I decided to leave the bank for the samosa shop,” Sheikh shares how he ended up at the shop.

“Our chaat masala is unique. It is prepared with a special recipe,” he says. “A few days back, the shop ran short on the chaat masala, but my customers wouldn’t stop demanding it,” Sheikh shares.

When the shop set up, Qasim used to prepare the samosa crusts but later his wife took over the task. Currently, Sheikh gets the samosa patti prepared by his mother at home but the filling is done at the shop.

Talking about the magic behind the taste of this delicacy, Sheikh says “It is probably the honesty and sincerity with the way we prepare these that gets the customers hooked despite the profit margin being low for us now.”

On an average, Sheikh manages to sell about 3,000-4,000 samosas a day, with the peak season being Ramazan. “A week before Ramazan the sale increases as people tend to stock samosas for iftar even though I tell them the shop will be open until the 20th of Ramazan.”

Sheikh enjoys a mix of both new and old customers. “We get new clients all the time and the old ones come from all around the world, he says. “Recently, I had former students of KU who were visiting from Chile. They especially visited just for the samosas. I regularly get KU alumni from the US and Australia.”

Forty nine years on, and with a shift in generational gears at the canteen, what has stayed constant at the Qasim Samosa Shop is the quality of food. According to Sheikh, “The quality and the taste is the same as it was in the past because the same recipe is being followed.”

Sheikh has been running the show for the past nine years. “I worked in the banking sector previously. Even though the pay was good, I decided to leave the bank for the samosa shop,” he says.

Does he have any plans of branching out? “I handle the business single-handedly. In any business, if you do not involve yourself, you will not get profits. My brother opened a shop at Iqra University under his own name but soon discontinued.”

In Prem Gali, Qasim’s samosas are a go-to spot for students, staff, faculty and residents alike. Many grab a bite before heading home, while others munch on them while taking a break from studies. The day I speak to Sheikh coincides with KU’s Orientation 2020. Many newly enrolled students can be seen asking for the way to the canteen. “They will find my canteen sooner or later,” he says.

The two boys who bought samosas earlier return to get more, as two more customers appear and place their order. It’s always a busy day at the samosa shop.

Originally published in Dawn, EOS, March 22nd, 2020

Comments

Jamal Mar 31, 2020 03:49pm
I wonder if such businesses and places can be designated as cultural heritage sites and preserved forever. My thoughts go to the decades old shops inside Empress Market and on Burns Road. We destroyed them all without a thought.
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Surya Kant Mar 31, 2020 04:29pm
In college days at Sohna in Mewat we friends used to eat Punjabi samosas with chola and green red chutney from cart vendor. It coated 25 paise in 1979 and paid by looser in cricket game. Ball was taken away by winning team.
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Rohail Mar 31, 2020 05:23pm
The good thing about this article is that it takes my mind off the despair that all of us are going through at the moment, even for a small moment. I wish everyone good health!
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Hassan Mar 31, 2020 05:24pm
Love to eat samosas there....
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Shail Mar 31, 2020 05:30pm
Sounds yummy! Wish him all the best for years to come.
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Salman Mar 31, 2020 06:08pm
Its not only the food that adds to nostalgia of bygone days, its people and place also you tend to recall in later age
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saeeds Mar 31, 2020 07:39pm
Magic behind taste I don’t know about honesty but unhygienic stuff and messy ambience always attracts us. Never change buddy
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Laila Mar 31, 2020 08:10pm
Yum yum
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Masood, TX. Mar 31, 2020 08:36pm
After graduating from KU in 1973 I came to U of H the same year and I still remember the date August 16 1973, on my way to the airport, I picked up a dozen samosas and brought them all the way to NY and then to Houston.
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Dr. Siddiqui Mar 31, 2020 10:37pm
Once upon a time, there used to be a central cafeteria and few canteens at University of Karachi campus, now by some strange arrangement with the approval of University administration, the entire university has become a food street and a prem gali. Such arrangements are having adverse impact on academic activities on campus! The university administration should restore the operation of central cafeteria and canteens and prevent the campus from becoming a food street by the uncontrolled mushrooming of food dhabas!
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R K Dubey Mar 31, 2020 11:13pm
Mouth watering dish
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JustSaying Mar 31, 2020 11:40pm
Noticed the Indian Gujarati connection there also...All the Best..
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Ali da Malanga Apr 01, 2020 12:12am
Students from the neighboring NED Engineering University would also go and enjoy those samosas.
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Owais Khan Apr 01, 2020 01:22am
I remember those awesome taste samsosas when I had to visit the university , they were really great in taste
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Pak Patriot Apr 01, 2020 02:02am
He makes approx CDN 130 $ per day, yet cannot paint the exterior of the canteen, looks dirty, wonder what the state of the interior of the canteen is. Does KU not have any standards off it's food outlet's on it's property ? Why not design a nice Open Air food Court area with a high ceiling roof ? Design uniform looking food stalls, with colourfull signage, patio brick tiles and wash rooms. Why can't we think beyond the pale and increase our standards ? Why do we always function at the lowest denominator ???
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Dr. Syed Imam Apr 01, 2020 03:04am
The poor condition and visibly dirty eatery are shocking and that too at the University campus serving the educated class.
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Nk Apr 01, 2020 03:28am
This is early eighties. I perfectly remember this samosa shop. I did not studied in KU but did visited often this samosa whenever in the area. A baba used to sell in those days.
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AZAM AKBAR Apr 01, 2020 05:01am
Are these Samosas hygienic?
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Syed A. Mateen Apr 01, 2020 11:23am
Behind the success story and continuity as long as 49 years the only thing behind is strict quality control which makes students to visit the Samosa Shop again and again. I wish all the best to Sheikh and his family members as after one year it will be Golden Jubliee anniversary of the Samosa Shop at Karachi University. This is one of the success story of one shop but if we look around other eatery shops, one can find many such success stories in Karachi and other cities of the country. I wish if Dawn Newspaper can bring out a color full supplement of such eatery shops by doing extensive survey in all the four corners of the country.
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Umair Apr 01, 2020 11:34am
I have bought at Re 1 per samosa in 2006, it is nostalgic.
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Laila Apr 01, 2020 09:43pm
@AZAM AKBAR yes like all other street food, dhabbas, stalls, cantinas in Pakistan, these too are hygienic in accordance with food regulations. Come on, dude.
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Waqas jamil Apr 01, 2020 09:58pm
Safai ka Kiyal Rakay.
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Dr. A. K Apr 02, 2020 08:48am
@Pak Patriot Very valid observation! Its not this shop the entire University campus needs a paint job, the money is allocated every year but the deterioration of buildings continues, there is no maintenance of infrastructure, and no concern for removal of garbage, all around various departments there are heaps of trash! No attention to hygiene either, visiting a university toilet is a nightmare! In reality at UoK, Chai-Samosa culture is more visible than academic activities! As a result, the standards have been attenuated. Presently, university is closed, and no one at previous and present administrations thought of building any technological platforms for offering online courses in case of emergency!
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masood Apr 02, 2020 07:39pm
Wow, what a fantastic trip down the memory lane.
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Nadeem yousuf Apr 03, 2020 03:28pm
Yes i have also good experiece n good taste of this samosa shops from 1987 till1992 rather till now
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Happy Apr 03, 2020 07:36pm
Keep it going, Shaikh saab. 49 years is a long time to reflect upon. KU students and alumni remember your ancestors with much love. Best Wishes and pass this shop to your children when time comes.
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