New Delhi: With memories of a country ravaged by war and lives traumatised by lost husbands and families, four Afghan women have found solace in cooking authentic Afghani food in India which, they hope, will give them a new recipe for life.
All single mothers, who first showcased their skills at a weekend food stall at the Dastkar bazaar in 2015, have now come together as a proud food catering group called Ilham, which means inspiration or positive.
The four women — Haniya, Saaleha, Sadiya and Nafisa (their names have been changed because they do not wish to be identified) on Sunday organised a meet for food lovers of the city at Vasant Kunj in South Delhi, in association with Commeat, an online community of food enthusiasts.
Ilham-e-Afghan, as the festival was called, featured many special Afghani dishes, including kebabs and pilafs. While “enjoying their profession” and managing families with their earnings, the Afghan women said they found India similar to their home, yet “substantially different” when it came to the lives of women.
“Indian and Afghanistan cultures are quite similar. The substantial difference is that the people in Afghanistan did not want women to go out and work. But here we are earning our livelihood,” said 60-year-old Sadiya, who lives with her eight children in an Afghan refugee community in Bhogal in South Delhi.
Remembering the difficult days in the country, 28-year-old Haniya from Ghazni, who fled to India with her daughter to escape an abusive marriage, said she felt safe here, but hoped to overcome the language barrier. “We are not able to share our ideas with others as we can’t speak Hindi fluently,” Haniya, who is now attending Hindi classes at a UNHCR-run training centre, told PTI. The four, who started wielding ladles from an early age, take pride in what they cook best. Saaleha is known for her Shammi Kebabs, Nafisa makes finger-licking Kabuli Pulao, a special pilaf. Haniya can cook Mantu and Sadiya excels at making Chapli Kebabs and desserts.
