In this last week of March, we would like to wish you a Happy Harmony Week as Australia gets together to celebrate the cohesive and inclusive nature of the country we all call home as well as promote a tolerant and culturally diverse society.
Food goes beyond our borders and represents the best way to celebrate our diversity here in Australia. At Délidoor, we recognise this, and hence why regularly we celebrate cuisines from different parts of the world.
What is Harmony Week?
Harmony Week is a special week to celebrate Australian multiculturalism and the successful integration of migrants into our community. It includes the 21st of March (Monday this week) which is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.
Did you know that the first cookbook were written by the Greeks sometimes in 330 B.C. This shows are important food was in their culture and how critical food was used to influence other countries at that time. When Alexander the Great pushed the Greek influence further East, the Greek cuisine became even more influential.
It got influenced too. The Turkey influence can be seen in starters such as Tzatziki, main dish such as the Moussaka, or sweets like Baklava and Kataifi. The traditional and popular Beef Stifado comes from the Venetian traditions.
Did you know?
- Harmony Week is represented by an orange ribbon, and participants are encouraged to wear orange due to connotations of social communication, freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect.
- With nearly half of all Australians born overseas, it is no wonder why Australia prides itself on being a multi-cultural society. The country sees a high volume of migration every year.
- There are more than 70 Indigenous languages spoken in Australia and it has a very rich tribal heritage.
Everyone Belongs
The continuing message of Harmony Day is 'Everybody Belongs' and its annual observance aims to encourage inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural background, and celebrate core Australian values.
How to celebrate with food?
Harmony Week is the week where everyone should go about and try a new cuisine or new dishes.
It could be at work if your workplace organises an Harmony Week event or at home with your friends, family or neighbours.
At Delidoor, we are showcasing this week our 4 top rated Flavours of the world meals. Using local ingredients, influenced by their home country, cooked by our French chef and enjoyed by you how could they be more representative of the Australian rich diversity?
These 4 meals comes from different corners of the globe.
The Classic Butter Chicken from India.
Indian Butter Chicken
This classic dish, also called Murgh Makhani in Hindi, is by far the most popular dish from India. It is mildly spicy, creamy with a savoury flavour which makes it accessible to almost everyone.
It originated from the city of New Delhi during the 1950s. The story is that the cooks of a famous restaurant were using the left over of marinade juices with butter and tomato from tandoori dishes. They would then stew chicken in it. They obviously didn't know famous the dish would become.
Tom Yum, the Traditional Thai Soup
The Tom Yum
The Tom Yum is a traditional soup from Central Thailand. The word Tom mean "boiling" or "hot" while the word Yum stands for "spicy" or "sour".
The area where this soup comes from is said to be known for its abundance of fresh shrimp in the Chao Phraya River.
In March 2021, the dish got the approval to be proposed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
Pumpkin Falafel with Roasted Vegetables
The Falafel
According to Wikipedia, the origins of the falafel is controversial. Most likely it originated from Egypt with some influence from similar Indian dishes.
In the middle East, the falafel are very common and seen as street food. It is usually made with fava beans in Egypt or with chickpeas in the Levantine cuisine.
Chilli Prawn Linguine
The Chilli Prawn Linguine
In our top 4, we are including one European dish. This classic Italian meal is one of the most loved recipe, especially in summertime. In Italy, they are called the Linguine con gamberi!
