Five refugees share their treasured family recipes

Food is one way that displaced people stay connected with their cultures and traditions while rebuilding their lives. Some even transform their love of cooking into businesses – starting successful cafes, restaurants and coffee shops around the country.

We’re highlighting five delicious recipes from refugees who now call Australia home. From Ukraine to Sierra Leone – each recipe was selected by a current or former refugee to tell their story and share a taste of their culture.

The full recipes can be found in our new cookbook, Flavours of Hope.

Fatima cooks Afghan bolani with her mum

Fatima Yousufi lives in Melbourne and captains the Afghan Women’s National Football Team. She shared with us her family’s delicious recipe for bolani – Afghan stuffed flatbread.

Bolani is a popular street food, eaten at all hours of the day. It is quick and easy to make and can be filled with different ingredients. 

“This is a dish families cook together in Afghanistan, making it more fun,” says Fatima. “In my family, each of us had a specific task. I was the one who made the dough, then my dad would fry it. While we were cooking, we had so much fun sharing stories.”

Watch Fatima cook bolani:

Akec serves up lamb shaiyah

Akec Makur Chuot, Australia for UNHCR Ambassador and the first African woman to play in the AFLW, shares her beloved lamb shaiyah recipe with us.

“Food is one way I’m able to express myself, telling the story of both myself and my mum. It’s also a way for me to welcome my friends and introduce them to my culture,” says Akec.

This beautiful South Sudanese dish is full of spices and bursts with flavour, perfect as a winter warmer.

Watch Akec cook lamb shaiyah:

Hamed dishes up Persian sabzi polow ba mahi

Hamed Allahyari came to Australia in 2012 as an asylum seeker from Iran. After arriving, he began teaching cooking classes at a not-for-profit organisation supporting refugees.

Now living in Melbourne, Hamed serves up tasty and authentic Persian food at his cafe, Salamatea House. He shares his recipe for sabzi polow ba mahi – fish with herb pilaf.

“We traditionally have this dish on Persian New Year’s Eve,” says Hamed. “It’s very flavourful and the rice, by itself, is so delicious. We’ve had it for years in our culture. Because it’s a special dish, it’s something you have together with family and friends.”

Watch Hamed cook sabzi polow ba mahi:

Yarrie plates up joyful jollof rice

Yarrie Bangura, Australia for UNHCR Ambassador and founder of Aunty's Ginger Tonic, shares her beloved family recipe for jollof rice from Sierra Leone.

“This is mostly eaten at special events like Eid, weddings, baby naming ceremonies and sometimes funerals. We use lots of spices, like ginger and garlic, with plenty of onions and tomatoes,” she says. 

This dish is best shared from a big plate with loved ones.

Wach Yarrie cook jollof rice:

Mariia prepares a Ukrainian breakfast

Mariia and her children, Anastasiia and Kyrylo, are Ukrainian refugees who now call Sydney home. She shares her family’s treasured recipe for traditional Ukrainian syrnyky – ricotta pancakes.

“The dish connects us to our life in Ukraine before the war displaced us from our homes and we moved to Australia to be safe,” Mariia says.

Perfect for weekend breakfasts, this dish is fun to make with children and can be garnished with berries, mint and icing sugar.

Watch Mariia cook syrnyky: