A Taste of Home

Food is more than just a source of nutrition–it connects us.We cook together, eat together and pass on our favorite recipes to the next generation.

Through the preparation and sharing of food, we show each other that we care. No wonder then that we remember in such vivid detail the meals we have enjoyed with loved ones when we are forced to be apart.

As the festive season approaches and we start thinking about meals with family and friends, we thought you might appreciate A Taste of Home–a series of traditional dishes shared with Oxfam by those who have been forced to leave their homes and loved ones behind. The men and women who have written these recipes are asylum seekers who have experienced conflict or persecution in their home countries of Afghanistan, Syria, India, Iran and Pakistan. While their stories may be different, food plays an important role in their lives and the lives of their families.

Oxfam works with refugees and migrants across Europe–in Greece, Italy, Spain and Serbia–providing, with the help of our partners, vital services such as legal aid, protection and advocacy. Our belief is that food should be both nutritious and culturally appropriate so these recipes were collected as part of a study to evaluate the food provided to asylum seekers in Serbia, where we cook three healthy meals a day for all asylum seekers living in government-led reception centers.

Feel free to share the recipes on social media –or if you’re feeling a bit more creative, try the dishes on your family and friends. Alternatively, share your own family recipes online – simplytag @Oxfam and use the hashtag #ATasteOfHome so that we can see what you made!