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This Refugee Week, we’re encouraging everyone to get together, share a delicious meal and share stories that help build empathy and understanding of refugee experiences.

In 2020, we’ve moved our Refugee Week activities online to ensure we can celebrate safely. 

Here you will find a range of traditional and wholesome recipes from some of our own people at AnglicareSA from a refugee and migrant background.

We encourage you to give them a go!

Awit’s Okra Stew | South Sudan

Awit works at AnglicareSA as a Settlement Coach and Case Worker supporting refugees.

Originally from South Sudan, Awit has been in Australia for 16 years.

Okra Stew is very special to Awit because it reminds her of her grandmother.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg diced meat (leave out for vegetarian option)
  • 1 kg okra (you can purchase fresh okra from the Adelaide Central Markets, from larger fresh produce stores, Asian supermarkets and occasionally large supermarkets)
  • 2 medium onions (chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves (diced or crushed)
  • 1 habanero chilli
  • 2 chicken stock cubes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp each of vege stock, ground cumin, ground coriander
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • enough water to cover the okra

Serve with rice

Method

  1. Heat oil on high heat in a large pot.
  2. Add onions and cook until light brown.
  3. Add meat and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add okra and all remaining ingredients and let simmer on low heat until okra is softened and meat is cooked through.
  5. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Okra Stew

Reem’s Fatteh | Syria

Reem works as a tenancy officer in AnglicareSA’s settlement services, which provides on-arrival welcome and accommodation to refugees and migrants who have recently arrived in South Australia.

Reem is originally from Syria and came to Australia as a skilled migrant seven years ago with her family.

Fatteh is a special dish to Reem because it reminds her of her father when he used to make it for the family.

Ingredients

  • 1 can of chickpeas
  • 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
  • 4 tbsp hummus
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp tahini paste
  • 2 tbsp reduced salt butter
  • 1/3 cup of nuts (eg. cashews)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 pita/Lebanese bread
  • sprinkle of cumin, paprika and fresh parsley

Method

  1. Cut the pita/Lebanese bread into wedges and place them randomly in a deep casserole dish.
  2. In a separate bowl – mix hummus, lemon, garlic, yoghurt and tahini paste – adjust saltiness and thickness to taste.
  3. In a pot — boil the chickpeas, and using a few spoons of the chickpea water, wet the pita/Lebanese bread. Avoid the bread getting too soaked, or drain it if necessary.
  4. Drain chickpeas and place over bread.
  5. Pour your tahini mixture over the chickpeas
  6. In a pan – melt butter and nuts. Sprinkle nuts over the dish.
  7. Season with cumin, paprika and garnish with fresh parsley.

Fatteh

Edward’s Gakondo with Ugali & traditional vegetable dish | Uganda

Edward is originally from Uganda and arrived in Australia with his family in 2015.

He recently signed up to volunteer with AnglicareSA in Adelaide’s north and has been involved in our community housing tenant cooking program and will be assisting with graffiti removal and other community services.

He said these traditional meals are special to him because ancestors like his grandfather ate them to “stay strong, run fast and live long”.

Ingredients

Gakondo

  • 2kg goat meat
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 4 spring onions (chopped)
  • 2 tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 green capsicum (sliced)
  • 2 medium carrots (chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves (chopped or diced)
  • Pinch of salt and paprika
  • 1.5L of water (for boiling)

Ugali

  • 1/2kg maize flour (you should be able to purchase this at a large supermarket – perhaps in the International foods aisle)
  • 1L water (for boiling)

Traditional Western Ugandan vegetable dish

  • 1 cup of pre-soaked kidney beans
  • 1 onion (sliced)
  • pumpkin (sliced in large pieces with skin on)
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (whole and unpeeled)
  • 4 medium potatoes (whole and unpeeled)
  • salt to taste
Gakondo

Method

Gokondo

  1. Cut meat into small chunks and place in a baking tray.
  2. Sprinkle salt over the meat, place in oven and set to ‘grill’ setting for 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer the meat into a pot/deep pan and pan fry for 10 minutes.
  4. Add onion, tomatoes, capsicum, carrot, spring onions, garlic and stir in.
  5. Add paprika and salt.
  6. Add water, bring to the boil, and simmer for 25 minutes with lid on.

Ugali

  1. In a pot – boil the water.
  2. Once boiling, slowly and gradually add the maize flour, stirring well with a spoon.
  3. Keep adding flour until it becomes a dough-like texture.
  4. Use a clean finger to touch the Ugali – if it doesn’t stick, then it’s ready.
  5. You can serve it using a spoon to make rough ball shapes (similar to mashed potato).
Ugali

Traditional Western Ugandan vegetable dish

  1. Add the kidney beans and onions to a pot and cover with water.
  2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
  3. In a seperate pot – place the pumpkin, sweet potatoes and potatoes at the base of the pot.
  4. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt, cover them with water and bring to the boil.
  5. Cover the vegetables with foil and simmer for 35 minutes.
  6. Then, add the previously cooked bean mixture to the vegetables.
  7. Cover with foil again and simmer for another 35 minutes.

Traditional Western Ugandan vegetable dish

About Refugee Week

Refugee Week is Australia’s peak annual activity to inform the public about refugees and celebrate positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society.

It provides a platform to create better understanding between different communities and to encourage successful integration enabling refugees to live in safety and to continue making a valuable contribution to Australia.