KABUL, Afghanistan — An illiterate Afghan fruit seller has offered a rare insight into the world of Osama bin Laden.

Today, Akhtar, who is 65 and uses only one name, enjoys a quiet retirement tending his orchard near Kabul. But he says that for five years, he was the personal valet and cook for Mr. bin Laden.

Akhtar was not a formally trained cook, but the job required little skill beyond the ability to prepare Mr. bin Laden's favorite dish of mutton korma, for both lunch and supper. Breakfast would typically involve scrambled eggs. "If he was here today, then of course, I would prepare him a mutton korma," said Akhtar, sitting under one of the apple trees in his Kabul orchard. "It was his absolute favorite, with a pilau full of almonds, orange peel, and raisins."

Akhtar claimed that his Saudi employer, who often grumbled about his health and was a picky eater, rarely let anyone else prepare his food, mainly due to worries about being poisoned.

Life in Mr. bin Laden's cave close to the Pakistan border was predictably austere, dominated by prayer and talk of jihad. Mr. bin Laden slept little, rising at midnight to fit in an extra set of prayers on top of Islam's standard five cycles.

Akhtar claimed he shared a room with Mr. bin Laden and Abu Maz, his Palestinian Arab assistant. There was only one bed, and Mr. bin Laden gave this to Akhtar because he was the oldest.

Every afternoon, Mr. bin Laden delivered lengthy lectures to his followers offering Koranic justification for holy war. But he had a lighter side to him.

"He was always making so many jokes," Akhtar said "He was always happy before he went home to Saudi Arabia and would say ‘Uncle, I have four wives waiting for me. It's time for some fun.'"

"We Afghans do not talk about our wives in this way," Akhtar said.