The ASRC’s Feast for Freedom returns this March with delicious new ways to champion refugees and raise funds that help support people seeking asylum. Last year, 1,650 people around Australia took part in Feast for Freedom and the kitchen is heating up in a big way again in 2021.
Now returning for its third year, Feast for Freedom is a celebration of what unites us; food, culture and community, while raising vital funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, an independent not-for-profit supporting people seeking asylum.
The ASRC are calling on you to gather your friends together, cook up a storm and host your own Feast for Freedom in support of people seeking asylum. You’ll be cooking recipes that have been lovingly gifted by refugees.
This year’s Feast features recipes gifted by refugee cooks Aheda from Palestine and Niro from Sri Lanka.
Someone who will be cooking up a storm hosting her own Feast this year is first-time host Cindy Caldeira. Cindy and the residents of her new apartment building will be hosting not one but four Feasts for Freedom over the course of March.
One of their Feasts will feature Aheda’s Palestinian recipes including Smoky Baba Ganoush, Green Falafel, Sayadieh Samak (a rice and fried vegetable and fish dish), a simple green salad and Baklava. You too can get your hands on these delicious recipes when you register to host your own Feast at feastforfreedom.org.au
Aheda is one of Feast for Freedom’s featured cooks who has shared her family recipes with hosts to cook at their own Feasts. A staunch traditionalist Aheda cooks her favourite dishes just as she was taught to by her mother and grandmother.
Cindy and her neighbours will be hosting a Feast for 20 people on their shared rooftop terrace each weekend in March to raise funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
“Having only just moved into a new building in the year of COVID… We feel it’s important to share a meal together and have the opportunity to host a dinner gathering, finally, and raise funds towards a great organisation such as ASRC is equally important.”
“It’s especially timely after the year it has been to strengthen ties in the neighborhoods we live in and connect with each other.”
Joining Aheda as a Feast for Freedom cook this year is a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee Niro, who learned to cook inside the Australian immigration detention facility where he spent his first seven years in Australia Niro’s recipes include Paruppi Vadai, Kothu Roti and Payasym (all vegan and available in the Feast for Freedom host recipe book). Niro’s secret ingredient for cooking delicious dishes is “follow your tongue”.
When you sign up to host your own Feast for Freedom, you will receive exclusive access to this year’s recipes and more from the Feast for Freedom recipe archive (featuring recipes gifted by refugees from Papua New Guinean, Ethiopian and Iran). You’ll also receive a FREE special Feast for Freedom hosts kit to help you on your way to Feasting success, including the official Feast recipe book.
It’s time to come together again, put on your chef’s hat, and register to host your own Feast brunch, lunch or dinner at home or in the workplace. To find out more or register to host visit feastforfreedom.org.au or call 1300 692 772.
Words: Erin Leach. Images: Sam Biddle
