Where do you spend Sundays? Mostly back in Birmingham, with my recently widowed mum. It’s a period of my life where I’m doing things out of love and duty.
How do you start the day? A cup of Mariage Frères mountain oolong tea. I drink a cup everyday wherever I am. I like to watch the leaves unfold.. Then it’s time for Mum’s homemade buttery paratha.
The sound of Sunday? Mum on the phone. She has such a strong sense of community, but can’t read or write, so she’s always chatting away to find out how everyone is doing and the landline is always ringing. Sundays are definitely quieter when I’m in London.
A favourite spot? The Fighting Cocks in Moseley Village – a classic old Victorian pub, with oak panelling and stained glass. It’s beautiful. I grew up Muslim, so going inside was always taboo, but I’d peer inside as a child.
The perfect Sunday lunch? Whatever my older sister is cooking. My favourite is her tomato stew, although when she comes to Mum’s to feed us all, she’ll always bring six or seven dishes. There’s fish pilau, spinach stew and dried plum and meat biryani – it’s amazing what she can do with ingredients from Aldi.
An afternoon out? A walk down Ladypool Road, Birmingham’s old Asian street, past new foodie places and the stalls, which have been there since my childhood. Then I’ll pop to Ikon art gallery in the city centre.
And Sunday night? I’m on the train home, writing. I’m working on a book about growing up in an area described as ‘Jihadi Britain’. I’m always behind on the deadlines, so sometimes I’ll splash out on first class in the hope it’ll make me more productive.
Osman’s latest shop is at 20–21 Floral Street, London WC2
