Hard work in 45-degree weather: Earning a living in the flames
Five women living in the Kisecik neighborhood of Antakya district contribute to their family's income by making tandoori. Despite the scorching heat, the bread, pepper bread, and gözleme they bake leave a lasting impression on the locals.
Makbule Doğru, who said that they put their hand into the tandoor from which the flames were rising, used the following expressions:
"I've been making tandoori for three years. It's very difficult; the work here is incredibly intense. Imagine putting our hands into this fire. After the morning call to prayer, we knead the dough, then light the tandoor. We cut the dough and make the bread. The prices are reasonable, and the customer is satisfied; one person eats another. Everyone sees the effort and says, 'May God help you.'"
Speaking about the difficulty of working in the hot weather, Şehire Koşar said, "I can say that tandoori making is the most difficult job in the world. It's very hot here, and since people come for breakfast early in the morning, we have to serve them. We arrive at 7:00 a.m. If there are orders, we work until evening, but if there aren't any, we work until 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. Standing in front of the tandoor, we turned pitch black, as if we'd stepped into a tanning bed. We're used to the heat now."
ntv
