© Australia for UNHCR/Cath Muscat
It showcases stories and traditional recipes from refugees who have found safety in Australia, and those who are still living far from home. Flavours of Hope also contains a shared dream – to come together with loved ones over a meal, to laugh and to remember.
From Ukraine to Sierra Leone – each recipe was selected by a current or former refugee to tell their story and share their culture.
These delicious recipes were chosen by our contributors to nourish and inspire you. We hope you enjoy sharing them with your family and friends.
You can also choose to make a voluntary contribution after you download the book. Just $10 is enough to provide therapeutic food for a malnourished refugee child.
Cook one of the recipes from Flavours of Hope and post it on social media with #CookWithRefugees
Akec was born in South Sudan but spent much of her childhood in a UNHCR refugee camp in Kenya. After moving to Perth, she began playing sport and eventually became the first woman from an African background to compete in the AFL Women’s League. Aside from football, Akec is passionate about food. By preparing traditional recipes like rijla and lamb shaiyah, she pays homage to her mother and celebrates her South Sudanese culture.
“Food is one way I’m able to express myself, telling the story of both myself and Mum,” says Akec. “It’s also a way for me to welcome my friends and introduce them to my culture.”
Hamed came to Australia as an asylum seeker from Iran. After arriving, he began teaching cooking classes at a social enterprise. The work inspired him to open a business – a cafe and restaurant in Melbourne called Salamatea, which now employes and empowers other refugees and asylum seekers.
Cooking is an opportunity for Hamed to take people on a culinary journey across Iran.
“Persian food is very flavourful,” says Hamed. “It’s also very different depending on where you are in the country. In each bite, you have things which taste so different.”
Mariia fled Ukraine and now lives in Australia with her children. Preparing Ukrainian dishes helps them remember their lives before the war – weekends with the family spent together cooking and sharing stories with one another.
“Our family prepared cheese pancakes on weekends so that everyone could participate in the preparation,” says Mariia. “Women made the dough and cooked, children decorated. This dish connects us to our life in Ukraine before the war displaced us from our home. It reminds us of being together as a family. We’d eat it together on the weekends with my husband who is still in Ukraine fighting in the war.”
Raghda and her family found safety in Jordan after escaping the war in Syria. Now living in Amman, Raghda cooks and sells Syrian dishes to help provide for her family. This small business has helped her pay for rent and send her children to school.
Raghda hopes to empower women like her through her business.
“Food is very important for me. It’s the lifeline that allows me to live with dignity,” says Raghda. “My wish is to receive more orders so I can employ more women to help me cook and to bring in an income for them too."
You can find the recipes of Akec, Hamed, Mariia and Raghda in Flavours of Hope. Inside, you will also find recipes for Vietnamese pho, Syrian sweets and more.
The majority of funds raised by Australia for UNHCR are directed to UNHCR’s emergency operations, providing the ready funds and resources to respond quickly and effectively in situations of crisis and disaster.