Beyond the Table by The Glasgow School of Art

BEYOND THE TABLE

PREFACE

I have grown up eating dinner together with my family dining table facilitating a unifying space, a space of political encounter, and solace. Through this act of sharing, we nourish and empower each other. I believe that conversation and togetherness can further the nourishment we gain from food itself. Discussion over the table is an act of solidarity and a reminder to appreciate one another. The table is an open space for us to learn about culture, diversity and cuisine. Sharing tradition through cooking for others is a gift that anyone can give, one grounded in compassion and care. The kitchen is an open classroom. With few barriers to entry, I believe that anyone with a willingness to learn can engage, receive, and become part of something. If you are not confident in the kitchen, I hope this book can inspire and teach you new things! BEYOND THE TABLE is a celebration of this sharing. With conversations and recipes from all walks of life, it honours the communities already established and compels others to facilitate conversations that go beyond the table.

BEYOND THE TABLE MATHILDE N’DOYE

EXTENDED THANKS TO THE ORGANISATIONS THAT FACILITATED CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THIS PUBLICATION:

Concrete Garden, Glasgow Food Not Bombs, Glasgow Mutual Aid, Govan Community Project, Govanhill Greenspace, Kinning Park Complex, Maslows Community Shop, Milk Cafe, Moogety Grub Hub, The Peoples Pantry, Propagate, Refuweegee, RISE Glasgow, Royston Community Pantry, Well-Fed

HANDWRITTEN TEXT:

Illustrated by Sasha Delmage

WEAVES:

Mathilde N’Doye

IMAGES

Recipie contributors or Mathilde N’Doye

PAPER:

G.F Smiths

TEXT:

Shared by community memebers edited by Mathilde N’Doye

PUBLLICATION AVAILABLE AS A FREE DOWNLOAD VIA THE FOLLOWING LINK:

www.kinningparkcomplex.org.uk

ALL DONTATIONS/SALES WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SUBSIDISING PRINTED COPIES FOR PARTICIPANTS AND COMMUNITY VENUES ACROSS GLASGOW

FUNDING PARTNERS:

Glagosgow School of Art Students Association

RECIPIES AND CONVERSATIONS FROM GLASGOW BASED COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

DESIGNED AND CURATED BY MATHILDE N’DOYE

SHOFKA, KARIMA, LEILA, SHAWBOL, COLIN, VICKI, MURIEL, ANTJE, MARZIEH, HELEN, RAGO, ALAN, DURKHANAI, LINDSEY, MENESIA, HOUDA, VERONICA, ISRAEL, PHILLIPA, ZINA, DEBORAH, ANNE, ANABEL, FATIMA, FLOW, SARA, VICKI, ANNE, ANABEL, FATIMA WITH THANKS TO,

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

14 26 42 54 64 74 84

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT CONCRETE GARDEN RISE: GLASGOW KINNING PARK COMPLEX ROYSTON FOOD HUB MOOGETY GRUB HUB

93 105 108

DIRECTORY ORIGINAL RECIPE RECIPE INDEX

BEYOND THE TABLE is a collaboration between Glasgow-based community organisations that educate, supply and involve food in their work. Exploring the relationship that food has to community empowerment this publication is a celebration and sharing, of skills and knowledge from the diverse cultures and cuisines the exist in our city. These organisations are sites of strength and resistance. Operating to sustain connection and community through cooking, along with facilitating sites for limitless learning and sharing. In homes, community centres, shared kitchens and cafes across Glasgow, cooking is being used to facilitate conversations about culture, creativity and politics across the world. The featured recipes and conversations are contributed by staff, volunteers and community members from these organisations. We can all be chefs and cooking is a skill that need not be discriminatory or confined to professional kitchens. Through navigating recipes together, we learn and share new experiences.

INTRODUCTION

Note that each recipe is titled with contributors name. They have been transcribed from orginal recipes (see p105) or from recorded conversations. When following the recipes, seek not to replicate their dish but instead create your own. Negotiate between the instructions and personal knowledge, cook to create your version, and go on to share this with your community. This is the first time many of these recipes have been recorded, and capturing this embodied knowledge is not always easy when following a conventional structure. How do you explain how much a handful of rice is when you’ve only ever relied upon your own for the right amount? We hope you enjoy the conversations and recipes featured, and that they inspire you to cook, create and share beyond the table.

MUTUAL AID IS ABOUT LOOKING AFTER EACH OTHER, CREATING NETWORKS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND WELL-BEING TO THRIVE.

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS (GFNB)

GFNB is a non violent direct action/mutual aid group. They are independent, autonomous who cook and serve food without the indignity of means-testing or referrals. Each week they collect leftover stock from local businesses and prepare meat and dairy free meals distributing them in Queens Park and to rough sleepers in the City Centre. The group is anti capitalist,anti cop, anti speciesist, pro sex work, pro vaccine and pro choice. Operating on anarchist principles. Find them behind the bandstand in Queens Park every Sunday.

In conversation with Glasgow Food Not Bombs members Lily and Flo on behalf of the group.

M/ Mathilde L/ Lily F/ Flo

What is GFNB about and why do you operate?

Because there is a need for food to be provided for communities and a need for food to be used and eaten rather than wasted. It’s also about doing things differently because we are an anarchist organisation, doing things differently to how the government would, pointing out the flaws in their systems by just existing and being consistent. We are non hierarchical, anyone can turn up and provide whatever they can. We work with what we’ve got, in terms of finding food but also equipment, as well. There’s no one single person who’s making decisions, we work on consensus on everything that we implement. M.

Why does food play an important role in the message you are spreading?

It’s huge, food is absolutely central to what we’re doing. It’s a combination of the bigger picture of how much food waste there is, and how much money goes into that food waste. And also then how much money is spent on war and military in every country that Food Not Bombs exists globally. The idea behind FNB is to redress that balance as much as we can. So bringing people out of poverty is connected to being able to feed them and being able to afford food, if we can make our food accessible to everyone, then we are going in the right direction. Also the fact that we serve hot food is quite significant, often it is the only hot meal that someone will get. The food we cook has been cooked and prepared by someone, which is important as we are sharing a meal, and we are eating together. We’ve made this food that we think is delicious, and that we want to eat and share with you, making it a community meal rather than a hand out. Anyone can come and help prepare it as well, that’s a community within itself, then the food that is prepared then goes out to an even wider community.

How long have you been operating?

Food Not Bombs used to exist in Glasgow about two years ago however it sadly fizzled out. We started it back up during the pandemic and since January we have had our stall in Queens Park every single week, we will continue to do so as long as we can. The worst thing you can do is not show up. Consistency is more than just one single act of generosity. It is very nice to catch up with the same and new people each week. We also distribute in the City Centre and around the West End to rough sleepers and try to find the same people each week. For that we also give out more plain soft food as many of the people that we meet have dental problems and sore gums. We also have to be careful with cooking spicy foods. Because if we give someone an upset stomach and they don’t have access to a toilet, obviously a lot of public toilets are closed right now. We don’t want to give someone indigestion. M.

Why does food play an important role in the message you are spreading?

The fact that it’s available to everyone, there is no kind of requirement or judgement on our part of who the food goes to. We are not going out to find people who we judge to be in need. And I think having the stall in particular is really important to that, because it means that whoever is around can approach us.

WE ARE HERE WITH FOOD FOR EVERYBODY, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, JUST AS IT SHOULD BE two kg carrots one kg onions

one bunch celery bunch of fresh corriander

four tbsp ground

Season with salt, pepper, add all of the ground coriander and stir through. Cook for a further ten coriander mins. The reason I chose to write about this recipe is ten litresitvegetable because perfectly captures the spirit of Food stock the vegetable Not Bombs for me - carrotPour and in coriander soup stock and coconut cream (prepared as per pack intructions) / Lower the isn’t something I ever go out of my way to buy one block coconut ingredients for to make. It’s what heat andhappens leave to when simmer for at least an hour, cream I realise I have most of a bag of carrots left in my stirring occasionally. / Before serving, tear up the salt from that recipe I bought fridge forcoriander ages bunchthem of fresh and add to the soup and ago when I only needed one The rest of stir carrot. through. pepper the ingredients are cupboard staples for me, but oil coconut cream can beBest the omitted if need be for maximum flavour (this served blended and even if you don’t haveisoileasiest or coriander youa stick blender or large food to do with can still knock up a yummy soup. Webut have found processor) is still yummy as a chunky soup carrots dumpster diving, once I was in a large supermarket after Christmas and they were just bread for a warming, Enjoy with some buttered giving bags of carrots away for free because cheap, easy and nutritious meal. they had way too much stock. Even if I do have to buy them, they’re super cheap, last ages & make a comforting meal with little effort.

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS

two kg carrots one kg onions one bunch celery bunch of fresh corriander four tbsp ground coriander ten litres vegetable stock one block coconut cream salt pepper oil

Peel and chop the carrots and onions followed by the celery. / In a large pot, fry the onions and celery in a glug of oil on a medium heat until they are soft. / Add the carrots and cook for another ten mins or so, until softened but not cooked through. Season with salt, pepper, add all of the ground coriander and stir through. Cook for a further ten mins. Pour in the vegetable stock and coconut cream (prepared as per pack intructions) / Lower the heat and leave to simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. / Before serving, tear up the bunch of fresh coriander and add to the soup and stir through. Best served blended for maximum flavour (this is easiest to do with a stick blender or large food processor) but is still yummy as a chunky soup Enjoy with some buttered bread for a warming, cheap, easy and nutritious meal.

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS

one cup any type of flour half a cup sugar knob of non-dairy butter nutmeg (optional) cinnamon (optional) fresh/frozen/tinned fruit

One of the reasons i like making crumble is you don’t have to be exact with your quantities! Mix the sugar and flour in a bowl. / Add spices if using followed by the butter. Use the tips of your fingers to mix it together, rubbing your thumb and fingers and shaking the bowl occasionally to see any lumps. The topping should look like breadcrumbs and when squished should be crumbly but hold its shape For the filling chop your fruit into bite size piece removing and pips / stones and skin. Some traditional crumble fillings are; apple and blackberry, rhubarb. Put your fruit, some sugar and optional ground spices in a pan. You want enough fruit mix to fill your baking dish with space at the top for crumble topping. Stir regularly and keep the heat fairly low. The fruit will break down a little and soften- this is really about personal preference, for example in an apple crumble some prefer bigger chunks of crunchier apple, some prefer more of an apple sauce consistency. Taste for sweetness! If using rhubarb you will need to add quite a lot of sugar, for tinned fruit you maybe find you don’t need any. Pour your fruit mixture into baking dish, top with crumble mix and bake for 25-30 mins

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS

IT’S GREAT TO HAVE RECIPES THAT CAN BE ADAPTED Every week we have different ingredients to work with, so it’s great to have recipes that can be adapted for almost anything. Bruised or overripe fruit is perfect for crumble, and slightly sad looking wilted veg tastes great in a soup. quantities are not my strong point as I tend to cook intuitively, tasting as I go.

one cup any type of flour half a cup sugar knob of non-dairy butter nutmeg (optional) cinnamon (optional) fresh/frozen/tinned fruit

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS

onions oil herbs and spices garlic salt vegan stock powder or cubes any vegetables you have eg celery, carrots, potatoes, butternut squash, tinned tomatoes, leeks ect etc

Chop your onions and garlic, or throw them in a food processor. / In a large pot, add your oil and get it nice and hot before adding your onions, I usually add the garlic once the onions have already started to cook, because it doesn’t need very long at all. / Adding salt will make the onions cook faster. You can roast your vegetables for more flavour, just chuck them in the oven with some oil and salt. If not, just chop them fairly small. / Add them to your cooked onions and garlic. If you’re blending your soup you don’t need to worry too much about perfect chopping! If not, try and get everything fairly small so it’s easy to eat with a spoon. Some ideas of herbs and spices to add - nutmeg, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, coriander, cumin stir in your stock powder or crumble in some stock cubes. / Add boiling water and let everything simmer make sure your veg is cooked before blending, just stick the point of a knife into a big piece of carrot or potato and it should be soft all the way through. A stick blender is the easiest way to get a smooth soup. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. If you’re not blending it, you can add pasta, rice, lentils, barley, couscous or similar to your soup and let them cook before serving

GLASGOW FOOD NOT BOMBS

TO ACHIEVE A FUTURE WHERE EVERYONE IS SAFE AND RESPECTED, WHERE PEOPLE’S VOICES ARE HEARD AND LISTENED TO IN GOVAN AND SCOTLAND.

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT (GCP)

GCP is a community-based organisation working in south-west Glasgow. Our purpose is to achieve social justice in the Greater Govan area by building a strong community based on equality, mutual respect and integration. GCP support the diverse communities in our local area and asylum seekers and refugees throughout Glasgow. We also offer an advice and advocacy service, information workshops for people in the early stages of the asylum process, distribute food and undertake participatory action research with community members. We truly value our relationships with a wide range of organisations and believe that collaboration makes our efforts all the more impactful. Over the coming years, we will continue working closely with our community members, funders and partner organisations to achieve a future where everyone is safe and respected, where people’s voices are heard and listened to in Govan and in Scotland.

In conversation with Philippa GCP Food Projects Coordinator M/ Mathilde A/ Philippa

How does the work your organisation does relate to food, food empowerment and education.

Govan Community Project supports people in the asylum process, who are forced into food insecurity because of the governments asylum policies, so part of the work that we do involves anti destitution services. That includes advice and advocacy, supporting people with asylum claim, access to housing and also access to food we use to deliver fresh food distribution project, which was food parcels of fresh vegetables and fruit and bread and things like that, that were packed up on a Wednesday and distributed to people living in Govan and also further afield in Glasgow. So that’s the main food service that we delivered. But we also do community work, we have a men’s group, a women’s group and a homework club. Food has always been a way of bringing people together, the groups have always revolved around a meal. The women’s group is on a Friday, they cook and share a meal together at lunchtime, and the men’s group meet in the evening- that also revolves around sharing a meal.

Why is sharing a meal is important in these groups? How did sharing a meal come into this?

I think it probably happened quite naturally. But we have always found that food really brings people together and cuts across cultural differences and reminds us that we all value the same thing. It’s a way of sharing culture and experiences and stories and skills and reminds people of home, but also is a way of finding home in the new environment. With the work around the food bank, there were so many points of comparison that that you can find you know ‘oh okay, I’ve seen that vegetable before that we grow that home and we call it this’ or ‘that’s a new vegetable that someone’s never come across before’ but ‘oh actually, it you know, when you cook it works very similarly to a cauliflower or broccoli or whatever’. It is something that really unites people and brings people together. It is something that everyone can share and equally no matter what age as well. The women’s group often has kids with them, the men’s group tend to be single men who are socially isolated. Different different people with different needs come together and find the same solace around food. What’s also interesting from the perspective of a member of staff, is that actually food seems to cut to the quick of all of these social issues and structural problems. Food insecurity is like an umbrella under which all of these other problems come, the ban on working, the low income, the insecure housing, the access to travel, digital exclusion. All of these things are relevant to the problem of food insecurity- its a fundamental human issue. As well as those very core social issues there’s also the ones that get forgotten for examples people’s health and well being, social connection, mental health, and all of these things are just as crucial and just as well addressed through food work.

How would you say that your organization’s response to working with food in the community differs from a council or government intervention?

It all hinges on the relationship that we have with our community members, and that relationship has been built through sharing food, that relationship is the strength that we have, that, I guess councils or government don’t. We are championing experts by experience and empowering people with lived experience to have their voices heard and have an impact on how policy is developed. But more crucially for us on how we develop our projects. Up until recently we were very much taken up with front line services and didn’t have that much capacity for the policy development and campaigning side of things. However we are now working more to give feedback to those with more of a political weight. Hopefully we can use that experience that we have of working with, with our community quite closely to have a real impact.

Do you have any specific kind of memories or stories or anything that really sums that up?

What has been so rewarding, has been the gradual development of the projects, but also alongside that journey there have been people that have been part of the journey all along, and have changed in their role with GCP. I started coordinating the food distribution project and there were a number of people who expressed an interest they wanted to help. Somebody became a volunteer and these were people who had themselves received food parcels from us before. So it was very much a for us, by us project. Then those people, or a couple of those volunteers then did the dignity and practice workshop with us. That involved, developing ideas on how we could improve the distribution project.

So these people had a real opportunity to really shape the project. Those same members are now part of the research group, and are forming the strategy for how GCP will develop our food projects in the future. It’s really been a journey where our work has been shaped by the people who use the service. M.

It’s not just a case of we are helping you. It’s actually about helping each other.

Absolutely. I’ve certainly become really keenly aware of, you know, how much I was benefiting from that community, as well, like, since since COVID, has meant working from home, you know, all of those those kind of outcomes that we talk about in our reports of like social isolation and community building, and all of those things, they are just as it’s just as much the staff team who are benefiting from that, then the so called ‘service users’. M.

Is there anything else you wanted to add to the conversation and how would someone get involved if they were interested?

We are in a process flux and, and a little bit of juncture where we’re not quite sure exactly how our projects are going to develop. There’s, there’s a sense of real opportunity for making some, real positive change. We are really taking learning forward from the past year and making some positive steps in the coming year as COVID restrictions ease. If you are interested in joining GCP we have a new freephone 0800 number which is the most accessible way of getting in touch. The case work team will answer the phone, but they can refer people on to the groups or to the food support or any other things that are going on with GCP.

450g flat meat to grill two tbs chilli powder two tablespoon salt one chilli pepper half a tbsp vinegar two tomatoes one onion

To be authentic the meat should be cooked over charcoal but a gas grill will also work. Cook the meat until desired doneness. Once cooked cut into small bite size pieces For the salsa / sauce chop the tomatoes, onions and chilli finely. Mix in the vinegar and salt to taste. Note the meat is often served in a newspaper on the streets of Namibia.

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

450g small carrots 450g baby potatoes 1.3kg lamb two onions three cups meat stock one cup red wine one tbsp sugar two tbsp curry powder one tbsp turmeric half a cup of milk salt

Traditionally, Potjiekos is cooked over a fire. This recipe was adapted to be cooked on a stove, but it can also be used to cook in a potjie pot on a fire instead. Heat oil in a Potjie pot or Cast Iron pot. / Add the lamb and season with salt and pepper. / Cook on medium heat, until browned. / Remove the meat and set aside. Add the onions to the pot and sauté until soft for about 8 minutes. / Return the meat to the pot, then add the wine and enough beef stock to cover the ingredients. Turn the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for one hour. / Add the carrots and potatoes and continue simmering for 30 minutes. Next combine the sugar, curry powder and turmeric with the milk then stir into the stew. / Bring the stew back to boil and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with rice or mieliepap (maize porridge).

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

two cups of cake flour two tbsp baking powder ½ tsp salt one large egg four tbsp butter/margarine ½ cup of water three cups sugar one and a half cinnamon sticks ½ tsp ground ginger one and a half cups water juice of one lemon oil for frying

Start the day before by making the syrup. / To make this dissolve the sugar in half a cup of water. / Add the cinnamon sticks, ground ginger, and the lemon juice. Bring to the boil to make the syrup. / Leave to cool in the fridge overnight. For the Koesisters sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. / Rub in the butter and mix until pliable. Mix in the egg and water (adding the water a little at a time). / Work the dough well. If the dough appears to be lumpy and sticky, continue to work the dough until it forms into a ball. Let the dough rest at room temperature for about three hours (under an inverted mixing bowl). After the dough has rested roll it until 5mm thick Cut the dough into strips measuring 6cm long, 2cm wide. / Next cut each of these strips into three strips however not all of the way- leave them connected at the top. / Plat each strip then pinch together at the end of the strip to stop it coming undone.

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

Heat oil in a pan- once hot deep fry the Koeksisters until golden brown. Whilst they are frying remove your syrup from the fridge and place the container in a bowl of ice. The secret is to keep the syrup cold and the Koeksisters hot, this way it will draw out the right amount of syrup. Remove the Koeksister and drain quickly then dip the hot Koeksisters in the cold syrup.

500g minced beef or lamb one onion two cups of parsley one garlic clove one chilli pepper one tsp black pepper one tsp cinnamon one tsp ginger one tsp salt three eggs six tbsp breadcrumbs four tbsp white flour

Start by finely chopping your onion, parsley and chilli then finely grate the garlic. / Heat oil in a pan and add your minced meat. Brown the meat breaking up the clumps as you go- smaller pieces fit better in the potato wedges! / Add the onion and garlic cooking until softened, followed by the, chilli, pepper, cinnamon, ginger and salt. / Leave to cool slightly Peel your potatoes then cut into thick slices around 3cm thick or three to four wedge / slices per potato. / Now take each potato slice and cut ¾ of the way down the centre so you end up with a potato slice which opens like a sandwich pocket. Set aside. Mix the rest of your breadcrumbs and the flour in a bowl. / In another bowl, beat two eggs and set aside. Once the meat is lukewarm stir in the parsley, one beaten egg and two tsp of breadcrumbs. The mixture will thicken up allowing you to stuff the potatoes later. Open up your potato and fill it with the meat mixture, pressing in firmly with your finger along the exposed edges. There should be no gaps, and the sandwich should not be too full either.

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

WE MAKE THIS DISH IN SPECIAL TIMES LIKE RAMADAM AND IN ANY SPECIAL TIMES.

Holding from the joined side take the filled potato and dip the edge with the filling in the breadcrumb and flour mix.

Once you have dipped each M’battan piece in flour, set them aside on a plate until you are ready to fry them. / Heat up your oil in a deep pan to fry the M’battan. I am Houda from Libya, I have been in this lovely Just before frying dip each potato sandwich into city Glasgow since 2014. This is one of Libyan egg. traditional side dishes we the usebeaten to make it in/ Place the M’battan in a deep special times like Ramadan and pan, in any special frying and fry on medium-high heat until times, I love making this dish because it The reminds golden brown. filling is cooked so frying me of my mom and family.mbatan Also it’sisrich flavour like of frying thick potato slices. / Crowd and delicious - my kids love Some people asit. many pieces intofillthe frying pan as possible their M’battan with cooked with overheating so the potatoes tomeat keep others the oil from uncooked- how you do it ishave up to youtobut cook time cook through. my meat beforehand. Leave them to dry and cool on some paper towels, and they will become more solid after a few minutes.

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

Holding from the joined side take the filled potato and dip the edge with the filling in the breadcrumb and flour mix. Once you have dipped each M’battan piece in flour, set them aside on a plate until you are ready to fry them. / Heat up your oil in a deep pan to fry the M’battan. Just before frying dip each potato sandwich into the beaten egg. / Place the M’battan in a deep frying pan, and fry on medium-high heat until golden brown. The filling is cooked so frying M’battan is like frying thick potato slices. / Crowd as many pieces into the frying pan as possible to keep the oil from overheating so the potatoes have time to cook through. Leave them to dry and cool on some paper towels, and they will become more solid after a few minutes.

one can white or baked beans ½ tsp garlic granules ½ tsp onion granules six tsp of oil salt pepper

First wash the beans and remove all the sauce with water and let it dry quickly. / Put in a pan the 6 spoons of oil on a medium heat, leave it to preheat for 2 minutes until pipping hot. Then put the beans in the pan and stir in the rest of the ingredients. / Now smash the beans up with the back of a spoon to make a thick sauce. Keep stirring and cooking for 5 minutes. Keep cooking for 5 minutes continuously stirring. You can eat it with pork, chicken or meat on the side. And that’s it. Enjoy.

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

AFTER MY FIRST TIME HERE IN A FOOD BANK MY LOVELY WIFE CAME UP WITH THIS RECIPE I will tell you the truth about this recipe. In our country we prepare these white beans from raw to boiled and then we mix them with pork or chorizo... but here in the UK people eat these ones with sweet sauce, we’d never tried them before in that way. After my first time here in a foodbank we get a lot of cans of saucy beans and my lovely wife came up with the idea to wash them and fry them with salt and smash them. That was after a week here in Scotland. Then she put more flavour on it and the result is excellent for us.

one can white or baked beans ½ tsp garlic granules ½ tsp onion granules six tsp of oil salt pepper

GOVAN COMMUNITY PROJECT

minced meat one can/jar chickpeas one can tomatoes tomato paste black pepper breadcrumbs cumin salt oil garlic eggs

Start by making the meatballs. / Put the chickpeas/ tomato paste/ cumin/ salt/ oil/ garlic/ black pepper/ bread crumbs/ eggs and garlic into a bowl. Combine together to make the meatball mince. Once combined roll the mix into individual meatballs. For the broth start by heating oil in a pan. Add oil, grated garlic, black pepper, cumin, chopped tomatoes, salt and hot water to make an oily broth. Leave to simmer. Add a tin of chickpeas and then the meatballs to the broth. Leave to simmer until the meatballs are cooked. Serve with warm pita.

ROYSTON FOOD HUB

FOOD AND BAKING HAS SO MANY POSITIVES, IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER, NEW SKILLS AND CONFIDENCES ARE GAINED

CONCRETE GARDEN (CG)

An urban community food growing, play and well being project providing growing space, activities, events and volunteering opportunities for the people of Possilpark and the wider North Glasgow area.

Concrete Garden is rooted in Possilpark, North Glasgow. Over the last 10 years, we have grown from a pilot Community Garden project into a trusted, community anchor organisation with a proven record of community-led action and accomplishment. We focus on people-led, person-centred wellbeing and have a vision of a community where everyone has an equal opportunity to be happy, healthy, and thriving. By working hand in hand with our community we have transformed derelict or vacant land into amazing outdoor spaces where we connect with nature and each other. We know when communities grow gardens, gardens grow communities, and we all live happier and healthier lives when we work, play, learn and grow together. It takes a dedicated and skilled staff team and many more committed and enthusiastic volunteers to keep the work going, we deliver around 400 activities each year including social and therapeutic gardening, outdoor cookery, outdoor play, community meals, crafts and carpentry, as well as a whole range of self-care health and well-being workshops and community learning opportunities.

M / Mathilde CG / Concrete Garden

How significant is food in the work that you do?

From an emotional health perspective, socialising over food is one of the best and most enjoyable things we can do. Be it sitting together to enjoy a shared meal or eating home baking with a brew during a garden session, or a gaggle of kids gathered round the camp fire having just prepared and cooked a meal over it themselves, conversations flow, ideas are born, and connections and friendships bloom.

For us, focusing on the negative story, fails to capture the positive community spirit in Possilpark. Strong associational ties and bonds exist here between families and neighbours, there is an enthusiasm to volunteer and contribute, and a willingness to lift each other projects like ours make a real difference because we look at people’s strengths and nurture opportunities that build on them. We support people to find a sense of self, so they feel empowered in their own ability to improve the well-being of this community and themselves.

CG.

Why is food an important part of your community?

CG.

Food is something we all have in common, we all must eat! A large part of our work focuses on growing food, and the health benefits of social gardening and being outdoors or playing outdoors. This goes hand in hand with eating food, talking about food, learning about food, needing food to fuel play, and dreaming about food!! It is part of our DNA, food ties everything together. Without judgment, or lecturing, or ignoring the reality of life for some people, our work sensitively offers different opportunities and ideas about healthy food choices and dignified food provision. Our projects allow people to make their own healthier food choices by growing it themselves, gaining skills in how to cook or experimenting with new tastes and textures. Offering opportunities for people to grow and educate themselves.

What are Concrete Garden’s future plans?

CG.

Prior to Covid-19 our 5 year plan included expanding our workforce to meet the increasing demand for referrals into our adult therapeutic gardening, and working towards an asset transfer to bring our back garden into community ownership and take over currently derelict and vacant land to expand our outdoor play area and create a community adventure playground and outdoor learning hub. If anything, the health crisis has sharpened our focus. Our community is growing, hundreds of new homes are being built, our community is grieving and has suffered some of the worst effects of the health crisis. We will spark up the fire pit, put the kettle on, gather round a garden plot and do what we do best, eat and chat about all the ways we can move towards recovery together.

How has Concrete Garden affected the lives of those in the community?

Over the last 10 years we have witnessed the effects of poverty and trauma, and how they are felt deeply in our community. While we recognise the importance of acknowledging this and addressing it, we also know no one wants to be framed by those experiences or singled out and labelled. That is not what we do.

CG.

I DIDN’T REALISE UNTIL I CAME DOWN TO THE GARDEN HOW MUCH I NEEDED TO GET OUT AND SEE SOMEONE

150g seasonal greens 100g pine nuts

100g parmesan cheese*

Wash and roughly chop your greens. If you are using something like kale or chard, with tough stems, remove the stem and the midrib of the leaves. / Grate the cheese and crush the garlic.

Add all of your dry ingredients to a mixing bowl or blender along with half of the olive oil. / Using a countertop or hand blender blend together one or two cloves of adding more olive oil until the pesto is fairly garlic smooth. / Add salt and lemon juice to taste. I started volunteering to learn to grow things and toofget outa the house to help with my mental juice half lemon Try your and pesto served through pasta, spread on health. I hadn’t been doing much it was salt or crusty bread. Use it as a delicious salad getting me out and about!toast I’d already been dressing a tasty accompaniment to roast part of an allotment with the men’sor group and veggies or fish.food. wanted to keep learning about growing 150-200ml olive oil

*SubstitutionsVolunteering has helped me get my headyou can use different nuts depending on Itaste, straight and helped me with my healthget or for a nut-free version try sunflower to get out in the garden allusing the time doing seeds. Pesto is usually made with hard cheese something instead of sitting atahome. I knew like parmesan but any hard orlearned mediumnew cheese will work. Parmesan is not how to cook before but I’ve things suitable for vegetarians and eat new things now, like pak choi and curly but you should be able to find a vegetarian version of parmesan style kale. These are things I never used to eat before! cheese. I like to be able to pass my knowledge and skills to other people. The garden is a great place to be during the summer, you meet new friends and it’s a place where people can just chat and laugh and have fun.

I’ve been involved with all the harvest festivals and community meals- I feel as if I give something back in the community when I’m cooking for others. My favorite thing is the camaraderie at the community meals. Everyone is always there to help each other. We usually make this recipe from Nasturtium leaves but you can eat the other parts like the seeds too. We grow the nasturtiums in the garden and make this every summer at workshops and outdoor cookery. It’s such an easy recipe. Most people use pine nuts but I’m allergic so I use sunflower seeds instead which is cheaper and tastes really good! I first remember making the pesto at the Glasgow Harvest festival about ten years ago! I’ve made it loads of time since for myself and others. It’s so tasty and you can have different flavoured pestos, even nettle! I enjoy eating with salads and on toast or crusty bread.” Colin

150g seasonal greens 100g pine nuts 100g parmesan cheese* 150-200ml olive oil one or two cloves of garlic juice of half a lemon salt

Wash and roughly chop your greens. If you are using something like kale or chard, with tough stems, remove the stem and the midrib of the leaves. / Grate the cheese and crush the garlic. Add all of your dry ingredients to a mixing bowl or blender along with half of the olive oil. / Using a countertop or hand blender blend together adding more olive oil until the pesto is fairly smooth. / Add salt and lemon juice to taste. Try your pesto served through pasta, spread on toast or crusty bread. Use it as a delicious salad dressing or a tasty accompaniment to roast veggies or fish. *Substitutions- you can use different nuts depending on taste, or for a nut-free version try using sunflower seeds. Pesto is usually made with a hard cheese like parmesan but any hard or medium cheese will work. Parmesan is not suitable for vegetarians but you should be able to find a vegetarian version of parmesan style cheese.

one cup natural yoghurt two cups self raising flour extras passata see recipe for possible toppings

Place the self-raising flour and yoghurt into a bowl and mix. For Breadsticks / Roll out the dough. / Top with any flavourings you like (pesto / cheese / herbs / sea salt) Cut into stick shapes. / Place on a baking tray and cook at 180c for around 12 minutes or until golden. For Flatbreads / Divide dough into equal-sized balls and roll it out as this as you can- then go thinner! Heat a frying pay on high heat with a small amount of butter. Let it get hot. / Place flatbread in the pan and cook for 1 minute then flip and cook for a minute on the other side- you should see it bubble up. For Pizza / Roll the dough out to your desired shape and place on a baking tray. Top with tomatoes / passata / pesto. Add any topping you like mushrooms / olives / onions. Finish with cheddar / mozzarella. Place in the oven at 180c for about 12-20 minutes.

MAKING FOOD TOGETHER HAS BOUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER We would like to share our recipe for our yoghurt dough- one that is used in our Do a Little, Change a Lot (DALCAL) Volunteer Project at Concrete Garden. Setting up baking /bread making classes online during lockdown was initially a challenge but has been a very positive experience for all- making food together has brought people together despite their varied locations and challenges. I would go so far as to say it has been a revelation, everyone has been ‘making’ in their own home with their own equipment and they have said that their confidence has soared. Jacqueline Ferguson, Volunteer Coordinator

The yoghurt dough recipe originated from my sister who lives out near Melbourne in Australia. It was passed onto her by some Aussie friends and she passed it my way. I think it’s a great recipe because it so simple but can be used in so many different ways.  It is a real staple in our house. Being involved with the bread making has been a huge positive for me in terms of connecting with the one cup natural PlaceI think the self-raising flour and yoghurt into a bowl Concrete Garden community. making bread and mix. together in a community setting even though on zoom yoghurt brings so many benefits. It’s been a real privilege two cups selfpeople raisingchatting, For Breadsticks for me to see baking and gaining in / confidence with their bread making each week. Roll out theskills dough. / Top with any flavourings you flour The support and encouragement that has been shared like (pesto / cheese / herbs / sea salt) extras even if things haven’t worked has been fabulous to Cut into stick shapes. / Place on a baking tray see.  passata and cook at 180c for around 12 minutes or until see recipe golden. I think Foodfor and Baking has so many positives in that possible toppings it brings people together, new skills and confidences Flatbreads are gained and the delightFor people feel when / they succeed in making something scratch is just Dividefrom dough into equal-sized balls and roll it out a wonderful thing to be part can allow as of. thisItas you can-people then go thinner! to feel supported and part of a community without any pressures or expectations them.pay I think oneheat with a small Heat on a frying on high of the things we created within in of thebutter. groupLet was a hot. / Place flatbread amount it get lovely space to come, chat, if you just in bake the pan andwant cookorfor 1 minute then flip and for amy minute on the other side- you should watch.  For me being ablecook to share enthusiasm seeisit such bubble and interest in bread making anup. important thing. It is what I enjoy most about being involved with community food work.  For Pizza / Roll the dough out to your desired shape and placeshared on a baking tray.and My Mum was the person who her skills passion for cooking, baking and bread making with withcakes, tomatoes me.  She has always madeTop bread, preserves / passata / pesto. Add any topping you like mushrooms all her life and it something that I developed a real / olives / onions. passion for. I am often cooking Finishwith withmy cheddar 5 year /old so mozzarella. trying to get her excited about cooking.  Place in the oven at 180c for about 12-20 minutes.

“I was ‘late’ in joining bread making group so I was slightly worried re group dynamics and I need not have been concerned. Under Vicki’s expert guidance the group is great fun with the added bonus of delicious fresh bread. I joined to increase my horizons of being oxygen dependent but wanting to make the most of my good days so in a pandemic zoom has been an absolute Godsend. As kneading dough is a work out I have a helper in the wings and bonus is my son is now hooked on fresh bread making especially sourdough. We call the starter Seymore from Little Shop of Horrors- “Feed me, feed me now” Seymore has been known to escape container trying to expand his horizons but he is currently asleep in fridge.” “I love the yogurt dough when things need to be quick because it is easy to make without using any yeast or extra baking powder. I usually cook for myself but sometimes also for other family members. I enjoy relaxing and having a chat with everyone. I like all sorts of cake and bread but my favourite is probably chocolate cake because the taste and scent of cocoa is great. I have used a similar yogurt dough before when baking with my mother. She used to make delicious cakes. Now it is a pleasure to be part of the group at Concrete Garden.” Muriel and Antje

“I like the aspect of socializing with people, it’s a friendly relaxed atmosphere. I feel included, everyone chats and shares ideas and everyone’s equal here. I’m energised by being with a group of people, it’s a safe setting for me. I get shy amongst people, a bit anxious and self conscious. I’m a bit out of my comfort zone, meeting new people. It’s given me something different. I feel happy when I go to the garden, and talking to new people, I’ve enjoyed it. I talk to people outside of the garden that I’ve met there- on the street. That’s nice.” “I’ve gone from being someone who was a bit scared of gardening and who certainly didn’t think I would be able to grow anything to really looking forward to getting out to look at my plants. Paula’s videos have been so inspiring and easy to follow. I’d never have believed how much I’ve been enjoying growing vegetables!” “It can be difficult to become part of a new community; the gardens helped this process. It is a very good place to get together with the community; see different people and have a fellowship.” Words from baking group participants; Antje, Celia, Maryanne, Caroline, Cynthia, Aniela, Issac, Muriel--- these are not their words!

Baking and Bread making at Concrete Garden

We all enjoy Baking And also Bread making We love making food That improves our mood For Christmas, gingerbread and mince pies We created so very nice Then, yogurt dough and soda bread We produced like Vicky said After short introductions Vicky always knows the instructions Jacqueline tried things before Making sourdough is not a chore Aniela happily joins in every time Because making yummy things is fine Muriel and Agnes quickly learnt how to bake We all love a really delicious cake Caroline likes eating healthy things Celia said togetherness gives us wings Maryanne also made bread freshly baked Our creations are unique and not faked Pizza, flatbread, and bread sticks For everything, we have the right mix Tasty pantofola bread with yeast What we conjure up, it is a feast

THE WOMEN WE WORK WITH ARE NOT WEAK. THE WOMEN WE WORK WITH ARE RESILIENT, DETERMINED, DIGNIFIED, TALENTED AND AMBITIOUS.

RISE: GLASGOW

RISE: Glasgow is a social enterprise who combat barriers to employment that refugee women face in Glasgow – tackling problems such as lack of self-esteem, experience and qualifications. We teach practical, hands on hospitality skills, through our food trailer and catering, that equip women to enter long-term employment, gaining confidence along the way and realising their power.

RISE GLASGOW

H / Helen Russell founder of RISE GLASGOW.

We started Rise because we could see this trend off really talented, experienced, qualified women being overlooked for employment positions, resulting in them at times exploited through cash-in-hand jobs without the security of contracts, and losing self-confidence and feelings of selfworth due to rejection. The women we work with take great pride in the food that they cook for others and come alive when speaking about their recipes from home, where they learned them and watch expectantly as you enjoy them. It was this pride in food from home that got us excited about seeing women gain confidence, experience and qualifications in the food industry that would see them better equipped to enter into employment, and drive us to start our training programme.

We often talk about comfort food, and images of hearty soup, shepherd’s pie, or some kind of stew might come to mind. For new Glaswegians, comfort food is familiar food - food from home. A connection to your roots, your family; your mother’s recipe, or that of your grandmother. Cooking this food, sharing this food and eating this food is a connection to that which has had to be left behind, connecting the past and the present. In this way, we cannot underestimate the impact and importance that food has in the asylum seeker and refugee community, one that we believe should be highlighted and celebrated. At RISE, we want to celebrate the knowledge and repertoire of the women we work with and to share that with the people of Glasgow. By offering opportunities for native Glaswegians to experience the food and cultural heritage of our participants, we want to encourage conversation and engagement around refugee issues and lived experience of the asylum process, as well as being able to sample delicious food. We hope that you will journey with us as we welcome women to join our training program, and take the opportunity to celebrate their food story as you sample the dishes that are so close to their hearts.

Food has the most amazing ability to bring people together - there’s something very primal about eating together and in doing so, deepening relationship. It is an intimate act, to share family recipes and cook for other people. It’s something that can fill us with pride or at times fear.

RISE: GLASGOW

two thirds large cucumber one onion two lemons juiced salt and pepper four tbsp of fresh mint half a pomegranate

Shirazi salad needs everything to be very small. Chop all of your ingredients; cucumber, / tomatoes / onion / mint) really, really finely around ½ cm and regular. / Top tip: take your time. De-seed your pomegranate to have two tbsp of arils. / Combine all of the ingredients once chopped finely and add the juice of two lemons If you want, you can add pomegranate to decorate. I hope you enjoy!

three ripe, firm tomatoes

RISE: GLASGOW

SHIRAZI SALAD IS VERY FAMOUS IN IRAN. Shirazi salad is very famous in Iran but you need a lot of patience to chop everything small. It’s very delicious but in my country we don’t use lemon but the juice of green grapes which is very very sour but good and healthy. Here (in Glasgow) you don’t have this but everything needs to be small.

500g basmati rice 600g greek yoghurt three eggs two tsp rose water 100g barberries 100g pistachios one tbsp oil for cooking 1kg boneless chicken thighs pepper one onion (finely chopped) half a tsp saffron one tsp ground ginger one tsp ground turmeric 150g butter (2cm cubes) half a tsp ground ginger salt half a tsp ground cinnamon

Soak rice for 1 hour (or as long as you can!) before cooking to remove starch. Crush the saffron with the back of a spoon. You must make the saffron into a powder before you add the water./ Add recently boiled water and allow to soak before you start anything else! Some people make it differently - some people use ice but I use hot water - it has a better colour, better scent and flavour. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook onion until soft. / Then add the chicken thighs and fry until golden. / Add turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and stir. After 5 minutes, add 2 cups of water and add salt. Cook for a further 10 mins. / After roughly 20 mins, take it out of the pan. Now we must chop the chicken very small. If you want, you can keep it big but I think it’s better small. Now we do the yoghurt for Tahchin. Add the yoghurt to a bowl and add saffron pastel. Add 3 eggs. The saffron is very nice. If you want, you can add 2 tsp rose water - I love it and then 1 tsp of cardamom. / Whisk the mixture together until it is well combined - it’s a very nice colour! Boil half a pot of well-salted water. / Drain the rice which has been soaking and add rice to boiling water. You must check the rice after 5-10 minutes to see if it’s ready. For Tahchin the rice must not be very soft, it must be a little hard because it

EVERYONE KNOWS THE BEST FOOD IN IRAN IS IN PEOPLES HOMES.

Now my rice is ready for the yoghurt and saffron mix to be added to the rice. / Mix and make sure all of the grains of rice are covered. Use baking on you the bottom of the Teflon pot. / Place 8 If you have a party, specialpaper guests, can cook cubes butter like on top this dish - it’s very nice. I think allofpeople it. of the baking parchment and allow them melt. Or you can use any type If the chef is good, then it’s delicious but iftonot, oil if bad you don’t like butter. then no! Sometimes whenofI feel and cook, it’s not good. Do everything with love. With love, Now press the rice- down to form a bowl at the very, very good - very delicious. But without bottom of the pot, on the bottom and up the sides very, very bad. (about an inch thick). / Then layer the chicken on For this recipe use a Teflon pot top of rather the ricethan (you can also sprinkle barberries, a steel pot as it is too thick. If you areand going pistachios a light sprinkle of cinnamon and to cook it in the oven, you cardamom can use a Pyrex on top of the chicken layer at this casserole dish and cook for 1 ½ -/ 2Top hours./ point). with a thinner layer of rice and then I learned to cook by watching mother. moremy chicken and finish with a final layer of rice. Everyone knows the best Layer food init Iran in and try to make the base and like aiscake people’s homes! the top the same thickness. If you are going to cook Tahchin on the cooker, use a clean tea towel under the lid. (TIP: you can secure the tea towel around the lid with an elastic band). / Cook on medium heat. If you are going to use the oven, then it is best to use foil. Cook at 180 degrees for 1 ½ - 2 hours. When it is ready, put a round serving plate over the top of the pot, holding the handles and carefully turn it out. RISE: GLASGOW

will cook in the yoghurt mix. / But now the rice is ready - yes, I can squash it slightly. Now we drain and wash the rice with cold water (this gets rid of the salt from the water and stops it cooking further at this stage!) Now my rice is ready for the yoghurt and saffron mix to be added to the rice. / Mix and make sure all of the grains of rice are covered. Use baking paper on the bottom of the Teflon pot. / Place 8 cubes of butter on top of the baking parchment and allow them to melt. Or you can use any type of oil if you don’t like butter. Now press the rice down to form a bowl at the bottom of the pot, on the bottom and up the sides (about an inch thick). / Then layer the chicken on top of the rice (you can also sprinkle barberries, pistachios and a light sprinkle of cinnamon and cardamom on top of the chicken layer at this point). / Top with a thinner layer of rice and then more chicken and finish with a final layer of rice. Layer it like a cake and try to make the base and the top the same thickness. If you are going to cook Tahchin on the cooker, use a clean tea towel under the lid. (TIP: you can secure the tea towel around the lid with an elastic band). / Cook on medium heat. If you are going to use the oven, then it is best to use foil. Cook at 180 degrees for 1 ½ - 2 hours. When it is ready, put a round serving plate over the top of the pot, holding the handles and carefully turn it out. RISE: GLASGOW

400g Greek yoghurt one third large cucumber one garlic clove three tbsp fresh mint three spring onions Dried rose petals for decoration (optional)

For Mhast-o-khiar we need to combine very finely chopped cucumber, finely chopped spring onion, finely chopped walnuts, finely chopped fresh mint (or dried mint), dried rose, some black pepper. / Add the Greek yoghurt, (for Mhast-OKhiar it’s better to use yoghurt which is slightly sour.) Mix spring onion into this along with garlic (crushed into a paste).

50g walnuts

Season with salt and pepper.

salt

After you have mixed it well, you can decorate it with sliced cucumber, mint, dried roses and walnuts. It’s very easy!

pepper

RISE: GLASGOW

WHEN THERE IS EMPOWERMENT, PEOPLE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND WITH MORE RESPONSIBILITY COMES MORE ACTION

KINNING PARK COMPLEX (KPC)

KPC is an independent multi-use community space in the Southside of Glasgow. They facilitate activity that brings people together, helps reduce isolation, builds friendships and creates a real sense of community. The KPCafé is the heart of the Kinning Park Complex providing pay-what-you-want meals at their weekly community meal.

In conversation with Lindsey, Kinning Park Cafe Manager.

M/ Mathilde L/ Lindsey

How would you describe the work you do?

Kinning Park Complex operates to promote community, citizenship, creativity and well being in our community. We are an independent multi-use community space in the Southside of Glasgow. We provide a variety of great activities in a place that brings people together, helps reduce isolation, builds friendships and creates a real sense of community. During the pandemic we’ve been providing via deliveries and our social isolation cafe hub: access to hot food, groceries, hygiene & baby items, clothing, toys & crafts and pet care items. We also are providing regular check-in phone calls, weekly online cafe catch ups and advice on other services The KPCafé is the heart of the Kinning Park Complex and our program of community activity. Prior to the pandemic, all meals provided were pay-what-you-want and are prepared by our qualified Chef and team of volunteers. Currently, in our social distanced cafe we’re offering all meals for free thanks to having secured funding to cover the costs. M. L.

Why is food an important part of your community?

Like many other communities, we understand food plays an important part for social bonding and feelings of well being. Food has a bigger effect on us than just satisfying our hunger. Eating the same food with others builds trust, dining together builds relationships, and cooking good food builds strong communities. We recognise the power of one’s food choices and believe that’s a vital part of food empowerment. For example, our community members can select from a list of food items and then we create the grocery pack for them to take away. (Due to COVID we pack the items. In an ideal setting they would select and pack for their own items). If any community members request specific items we capture this information and where possible fulfil those requests for

their next visit or refer them onto another organisation for support. Our Community Cafe facilitates many connections each week. We have seen many friendships grow among community members, we’ve referred many people onto other organisations in the area and arranged for many volunteering opportunities. M.

How do you facilitate empowerment and dignity in your organisation?

Food dignity is really important to us. We designed all our services around providing nutritious and culturally appropriate food where possible. We have also provided shopping vouchers for supermarkets of their choice to allow them to buy what they wanted. We found that this helped our community members feel more empowered with their food choices and plan to have their other essentials. During the pandemic we’ve been providing online ESOL lessons, cook along remote workshops, zoom mending sessions, craft packs and advice on college applications. I would like to highlight that our online cookery workshops were very in demand with up to 14 people on our waiting list to join a session. M.

How would you say your organisation’s response to food poverty/empowerment differs from a government/ council intervention.

I think if you compare our grocery packs to the food boxes supplied by the government to those shielding, there was a massive difference. We were having conversations with those receiving packs to adjust their content for their specific dietary and cultural requirements. We focused on offering what items they needed and wanted by having a special requests process. L.

experiences that sum up the work you do/ highlighted the benefits of the project?

We had a new arrival to the local area drop-in to our Community Cafe in late 2020. The individual was struggling to live on the £8 a week they currently had access to. We immediately offered hot food, groceries, toiletries and advice on other services. The individual became a weekly visitor and with the help of our staff they were able to secure weekly food sources, sort out their money situation and be appointed an immigration lawyer. I have personally seen this individual’s confidence, social skills and happiness grow every week. Our overall vision is a place where our communities work together to ensure that well being is prioritised in a world that is sustainable and just. Having positive changes on the lives of our community members is why we exist. L.

How has working for your organisation impacted your life and the community you live/work in?

As someone who lives in the area I’ve always seen the positive impact KPC has had on the local community. Since I joined the team in early 2020 I’ve found the relationships I’ve formed with all the community members has given me a sense of purpose and driven me to do even more for those who are marginalised. KPC understands the need for our community members to learn and develop, food knowledge and skills are really important for a community to share. We recently ran a series of online cook along workshops teaching people how to create low-cost, nutritious and meat-free meals at home. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not. (My favourite Dr. Seuss quote) L.

Do you have any specific

one to two onions 150ml oil 50g chilli/paprika powder 400g red or brown lentils one litre boiled water garlic

Finely chop your onions until you have around 200g. Put the onions in a pan and cook them with oil until they are well cooked. Add the chilli powder and / or paprika to the onions, mix well and stir for 5-7 minutes on a low heat. / Meanwhile wash your lentils with warm water then add them to your cooked onions. Add some of your boiled water to the pan and stir. You must stir the lentils regularly to stop them from burning and sticking to the pan. / Add more water every 5 or so minutes, stir again and repeat until you have used up all of the water or until the lentils are cooked. The water will evaporate as the dish cooks so make sure to keep topping it up to avoid burning your ingredients. Add chopped or powdered garlic to the cooked lentils and stew for 2-3 minutes before turning off the heat. / Add a tablespoon of salt if necessary. It’s ready to serve now.

KINNING PARK COMPLEX

I WISH EVERYONE COULD SHARE THESE SKILLS, TO EXCHANGE AND TEST RECIPE’S FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. This is an Ethiopian dish which is traditionally eaten with Ethiopian flat bread (Injera), Ethiopian food is mostly vegetarian options. I cook this dish once a week at least as it is my favourite. You can adapt this recipe to make it your own by changing the spices-sometimes I add turmeric. One of my favourite memories of cooking this dish is when I arranged an Ethiopian Christmas event at KPC, this was in 2017. We make some traditional Ethiopian cuisine and traditional homebrew made from Hops & Honey called Tej. The food was spicy and mildly hot, the Tej was sweety. On that day we served more than 50 ppl and the majority’s feel so happy and asked to have more and more food and drink. I was so impressed people loved our food and drink.

My family (especially my mom) taught me how to cook. My Dad had a traditional home brew garden and so I learnt how to brew from him. Sharing cooking skills is what I like because I wish everyone could have these skills, to exchange and test the recipe’s from all over the world. I enjoy sharing my recipes as I want to learn about different countries’ traditional recipes and make them by myself. one to two onions Finely chop your onions until you have around Through working for community organisations 200g. Put the onions in a pan and cook them with 150ml oil I feel more connected to the community oil until they are well cooked. around me. It helps me to understand the local 50g chilli/paprika community culture, lifestyle, Addenvironmental the chilli powder and / or paprika to the powder tradition development, and dialect. I believe onions, mix well and stir for 5-7 minutes on a low that volunteering is the way I can pay back towash your lentils with warm 400g red or brown heat. / Meanwhile the community who have water helped me.add Being a to your cooked onions. then them lentils volunteer is a form of indirect learning of new knowledge, skills & experience. Alsoofit your helpsboiled to water to the pan and one litre boiled water Add some make good friendships and stability. stir.provides You must stir the lentils regularly to stop them garlic from burning and sticking to the pan. / Add more water every 5 or so minutes, stir again and repeat until you have used up all of the water or until the lentils are cooked. The water will evaporate as the dish cooks so make sure to keep topping it up to avoid burning your ingredients. Add chopped or powdered garlic to the cooked lentils and stew for 2-3 minutes before turning off the heat. / Add a tablespoon of salt if necessary. It’s ready to serve now.

KINNING PARK COMPLEX

twelve pork link sausages one can of chickpeas one can of kidney beans one can of black eye beans three tins of chopped tomatoes one can of butter beans two cloves of garlic two beef stock cubes one cabbage

In a casserole dish or large pan heat a teaspoon of oil (just a teaspoon as the sausages contain their own fats). / Cut your sausages in half and add to the oil. Fry the sausages off for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. The sausages do not need to be fully cooked as they will continue to cook in the stew. Remove from the pan and set aside. Crush and finely chop your garlic. / Open and drain the chickpeas / kidney beans / black eye beans and butter beans. Add to the pan and cook these until the beans start to peel slightly. Stir in the garlic. Stir your stock into a cup and a half of water, add this to the beans followed by the cooked sausages and then the chopped tomatoes. / Place a lid on the pan and leave to simmer for 40 minutes on a low heat. Meanwhile thinly slice the cabbage and put in a pot of salted water. Cook the cabbage for 30 minutes or until it is cooked to your desired texture. / Drain the cabbage and serve with your stew. Best served with crispy bread to soak up the juices!

You started the kitchen at KPC, how did this come about and how did you join KPC?

I used to volunteer at the Pearce Institute, making food packs, then it came up that KPC were looking for a chef- I came in for a wee chat then started out volunteering, cooking for the community meal. I would cook on Thursdays for the community meal and it just grew and grew. At first it was just asylum seekers who would come but then more and more people heard about it and people kept coming back.

growing and growing. I could speak to people and then find if they liked my food. Through having more conversations with people I started learning more about how other people live. For example I never really knew much about the asylum process in Scotland, but meeting people in the cafe I learnt more about this. Before I just didn’t have the knowledge about what it was but now I know more about it. Cooking in the cafe with others has made me value people more.

I LEARNT FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME AND HELPED OUT IN THE KITCHEN Why do you cook for a community organisation?

Do you have any standout memories from working with KPC?

As I say, mainly meeting other people and working with the Asian community in the kitchen- I I’ve always been cheffing, I’ve used to love that. On Sundays some ladies A. would come and cook in the kitchen and worked in big industries, I’ve I would help them out. It was pretty funny worked in restaurants but It got a bit too much, it was just it was just the same thing for me because I never knew their names, it was just ‘auntie’ that’s how I would refer day in and day out. But I had more to give, to them and I learnt so much from them. the skills I had, I could show them off in a I use some of their recipes in cafe now. bigger way. So I just started volunteering The same with some of the curries and made the sausage casserole up during to share that.II’ve always said I would like recipe I cook, I learnt them from people who the first lockdown. used to cookdaals meals for the to give something. People say to Ime they come folkcook, who lived around I would getand helped out in the kitchen. cannae cook.elderly They can it’s just they me,have The same with vegetarian cooking I used a delivery food KPCtoon Friday and just don’t know how or haveofhad thefrom chance think it was with what ingredients I got.toOne day I gota bit stupid but I started learn. I think, work see when you cook, I think it’s learning to cook with more beans, trying some sausages some tins and I just thought a bit therapeutic, when you’reand doing it and different ‘sausage casserole’. All the old folk loveddishes it, that and learning to work with you see the end product that you made spices, you know some curries first that meatand dish I made fordifferent them (because yourself, you was thinkthe I made that’s usewas lotsthis of spices, others use lots of onions empowering.I hadn’t been getting any in). There a base. man Jimmy, and I remember himas saying to At menew year Rago would cook a M. currysausage and I would help him out cutting bag ‘aye when make that nice Would youyou saygonna that cooking of onions! stuff son’,made so then whenbag I had with again KPC has youone day after some sausages in for myself feel more connected to the , I made him a wee M. forward Who portion as a bit of a treat. I’m looking to taught you to cook? community? getting into the new KPC kitchen, meeting new A. A. the whole It was my dad, since he was in and people, beingwas able to have Aye,old because I really not the army my dad did all the team together and celebrating really and one community for communicating cooking in the house, lots of soups and with people. together. I never really knew much that, I learnt just from watching and about different cultures and groups and cooking with him. He taught me not to didn’t have much confidence speaking to waste food. With potatoes he used to other people. But once I started cooking say never peel them and if you have to I felt like I had more confidence. I never really knew much about other communities peel them save the skins and deep fry them to make crunchy potato skins. See and people living in Glasgow, but as I says once I started volunteering, my confidence, when I make mash potato, I don’t peel the potatoes- all the goodness is in the skins. I felt it M.

KINNING PARK COMPLEX

1kg rice 1kg lamb or beef 400g carrots 400g raisins half a tsp tumeric three onions pistachios almonds garlic stock

Wet the rice in warm water for one hour / Slice the onion and add to a pan with oil frying until golden / Add garlic, salt, turmeric and meat / Cook the meat until tender, around 80% cooked / Add one and a half cups of boiled water to make it tender, leave on a low heat to make a saucy stock Cut the carrots into even lengths, about two inches long. Cook the carrots in oil with the raisins until around 40% cooked / Boil your rice until about 75% cooked / The rice should be cooked on the outside and firm on the inside. Once partially cooked drain the rice and mix it in well with your meat and sauce. Now move the rice mix to one side of the pan, on the other side of the pan place your carrots, raisins, pistachio and almonds / Keep these separate to so that you can add the carrots to the top of the rice and present nicely / Do not mix the ingredients all together. Leave to cook for 30 minutes on a low heat. Stir together and serve.

KINNING PARK COMPLEX

COOK WITH LOVE, AFTER THAT IT IS ALWAYS GOOD. I like to have my friends or my relatives to be together to make for them the food that I love. To make it for them, get to eat it and try to share it- and celebrate! That’s exactly the reason I cook because I enjoy it so much. Everyone coming around the table chatting, sharing is good. I’ve always liked cooking because it helps the soul. To learn has a lot of benefits. Cooking is also the best way to connect to other cultures. That’s the best part- that cooking helps you learn about other cultures, you can learn how other people make, how they enjoy, how they share. When they use this or eat this dish like that. Cooking is an outlet for me, it keeps me busy- that’s good for me. I love trying out new ways of cooking, like trying to make different things for example, new ways to cook with chicken or beans, you can learn so much from other cultures. The most important thing is to cook with love, if you don’t cook with love it will not taste nice. Cook with love- after that it is always good.

M. D.

Who taught you to cook?

My mum Kabuli Pulao is our main dish in Afghanistan, like the party dish. I just learned alongside her, I would always watch her. I never learned by writing anything down, so i just learnt from my mum, when she would cook I would always watch what she was doing. My mum inspires me, because she’s a great cook. She knows a lot that I still don’t know. She has taught me a lot. M. D. 1kg rice

When would you normally cook Kabuli Pulao?

Wet rice in dinner warm water for one hour / Slice It’s for sharing, forthe a special with your family, perfect theit’s onion and for add to a pan with oil frying until 1kg lamb or beef big parties, and if you havegolden special/guests, or salt, turmeric and meat / Add garlic, a400g special celebration. It’s always for sharing Cook the meat until tender, around 80% cooked / carrots because it’s a famous dish.Add Everyone cooks it the one and a half cups of boiled water to make it 400g raisins same but maybe a little different. tender,There leave are on atwo low heat to make a saucy stock ways cook it but mostly it’s the same, half ayou tspcan tumeric maybe a little different ingredients sometimes. Cut the carrots into even lengths, about two three onions inches long. Cook the carrots in oil with the raisins until around 40% cooked / Boil your rice pistachios M. What are some that untilingredients about 75% cooked / The rice should be almonds you always have in the house? cooked on the outside and firm on the inside. Once partially cooked drain the rice and mix it in garlic D. Normally, I always haveyour rice.meat Cansand of sauce. well with stock beans, chickpeas, vegetables. I don’t use that many spices, sometimes Now move thefresh rice mix to one side of the pan, chilli, some masalas like curry powder. always on the other Iside of the pan place your carrots, start all my dishes with onions andpistachio garlic, then raisins, and almonds / Keep these after that I slowly build it up. This dish separate to is sogood that you can add the carrots to the because you can cook it two depending topways of the rice and present nicely / Do not mix the how you feel. You can cookingredients it all together or all together. you can keep the carrot and raisins separate to allow you to decorate the dish and Leave tomake cook itforlook 30 minutes on a low heat. pretty. You can also add garam masala or other spices to alter it to howeverStir youtogether would like. like andI serve. to separate the carrots and raisins with tin foil so that they stay separate from the rice but still cook in the pan. Then when it is ready I can arrange the carrots and raisins on top nicely. Then you can add the pistachios and almonds and sprinkle them on so it looks good and tastes great.

KINNING PARK COMPLEX

You started the kitchen at KPC, how did this come about and how did you join KPC?

Why do you cook for a community organisation?

I’ve always been cheffing, I’ve worked in big industries, I’ve worked in restaurants but It got a bit too much, it was just it was just the same thing day in and day out. But I had more to give, the skills I had, I could show them off in a bigger way. So I just started volunteering to share that. I’ve always said I would like to give something. People say to me they cannae cook. They can cook, it’s just they don’t know how or have had the chance to learn. I think, see when you cook, I think it’s a bit therapeutic, when you’re doing it and you see the end product that you made yourself, you think I made that and that’s empowering. A.

Would you say that cooking with KPC has made you feel more connected to the community?

Aye, because I really was not really one for communicating with people. I never really knew much about different cultures and groups and didn’t have much confidence speaking to other people. But once I started cooking I felt like I had more confidence. I never really knew much about other communities and people living in Glasgow, but as I says once I started volunteering, my confidence, I felt it KINNING PARK COMPLEX

Do you have any standout memories from working with KPC?

As I say, mainly meeting other people and working with the Asian community in the kitchen- I used to love that. On Sundays some ladies would come and cook in the kitchen and I would help them out. It was pretty funny for me because I never knew their names, it was just ‘auntie’ that’s how I would refer to them and I learnt so much from them. I use some of their recipes in cafe now. The same with some of the curries and daals I cook, I learnt them from people who have come and helped out in the kitchen. The same with vegetarian cooking I used to think it was a bit stupid but I started learning to cook with more beans, trying different dishes and learning to work with different spices, you know some curries use lots of spices, others use lots of onions as a base. At new year Rago would cook a curry and I would help him out cutting bag after bag of onions! M.

Who taught you to cook?

It was my dad, since he was in the army my dad did all the cooking in the house, lots of soups and that, I learnt just from watching and cooking with him. He taught me not to waste food. With potatoes he used to say never peel them and if you have to peel them save the skins and deep fry them to make crunchy potato skins. See when I make mash potato, I don’t peel the potatoes- all the goodness is in the skins.

WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO EMPOWER THEM TO LEAD PRACTICAL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD RELATED ACTIVITIES THAT IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING HELPING TO BUILD STRONGER, MORE COHESIVE COMMUNITIES.

ROYSTON FOOD HUB (RFH)

Royston Food Hub operate as part of North Glasgow Community Food Initiative. They work with local families, children, young people, adults, older people and those with addiction needs in the Royston area. They provide the local community with, increased access to affordable fruit and vegetables, improved health through healthy eating support and increased knowledge and experience of growing food. Their pantry is stocked with meals cooked by community cooks providing affordable nourishing meals to community members whilst offering volunteers opportunities to learn and share skills in the kitchen.

ROYSTON COMMUNITY PANTRY

Words from Leila Eddakille Royston Food Hub manager.

Our ‘fruit barras’ sell fresh, affordable fruit and vegetables in a range of community venues. The sessions are staffed by volunteers and all volunteers receive training, including in food handling.

beds in Milton and Royston. You will learn to sow seeds, plant out, tend, feed and sustain your plants so you end up with a great crop. We’ll help you learn to create your own raised beds or window boxes, using recycled materials.

NGCFI works with local people to help improve cooking skills and diets. We share how to cook healthy meals with fresh food on a budget. Classes are fun, using easy recipes. Cooking brings people together – wherever you are from in the world, everyone loves good food! We run classes for men and women, for people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds. Our trained community cooks make the activities fun and the food tasty. We supply all the equipment and ingredients.

Our community-led garden produces locally sourced food for the Pantry and our community-led kitchen caters for the deli inside the Pantry which showcases and shares the diversity of food and culture in Royston. We have lots of gardening sessions for children and young people in Milton and Royston. We work with primary and secondary schools, and host sessions in our gardens and growing spaces.

Royston Community Pantry is a membership-based shop that provides good food at a subsidised rate. The Pantry The classes always end up with time to stocks fresh, nutritional food such as fruit taste the food. They can also lead to a and vegetables, store cupboard staples get together, pop-up café or community meal where the newly-trained cooks make like pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes as well something tasty for friends and family. Our as freshly made goods in a deli counter to Pop Up Cafés and Community Meals are a offer a quality shopping experience. space for local people to get together and share food. Both these projects are led by Anyone who lives in the G21 postcode area can become a member of Royston our amazing volunteer cooks. Community Pantry for £2.50. They can then do a weekly shop for £2.50, which We can support you to learn to grow will provide a £10-15 worth of food. your own fruit and veg. We have a Members also have the option of paying community garden at Milton, allotments at Springburn, Hamiltonhill and Germiston a solidarity price of £3.50 per shop, to fund a small number of subsidised as well as growing spaces such as raised memberships.

four chicken breasts two cups rice /water one white onion one sweet potato one carrot curry madrass cumin crushed chilly mixed spice biriyani spice blend*

Start by chopping your onions, sweet potato and carrots. / Cut the chicken breast into small chunks and marinate in the spices (cumin, chilly, mixed spice, biryani mix) for 10 /15 minutes. Heat some oil in a pan, add the marinated chicken and a pinch of salt cooking for about 10 minutes. / Add the vermicelli noodles and fry off for a bit until crispy. Add the two cups of water and then the two cups of rice. / Put the lid on and leave the rice to cook with the water and chicken. Whilst the rice is cooking heat some oil in another pan adding the onions, carrots, sweet potato and salt once hot. / Fry the vegetables until cooked. / Set aside when cooked. Once the rice has cooked add your vegetables mixing the vegetable, chicken and rice together. Serve.

ROYSTON FOOD HUB

one block of butter 200g crushed walnuts one tbsp vegetable oil two cups sugar one cup water a little lemon juice five sheets of halal filo pastry*

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Place the butter and oil in a pan and melt. Whilst the butter is melting crush the walnuts and mix with a little sugar. / Layer each sheet of pastry on top of the other brushing with the melted butter oil blend in between each layer. / On top of your pastry add the crushed walnut and sugar mix. Bear in mind you may not need to use all of the nut mix or butter, how much you put is up to you depending on how full you would like the baklava! Roll the pastry into a long sausage shape and cut into smaller pieces( the baklava will flatten when you cut it- this is good as it will make the pastry more square-shaped, / Cut each individual baklava roll in half on a diagonal making triangle pieces. Gently place these onto a baking tray. Place into the oven and cook. Cooking time will depend on your oven temperature- keep an eye on the baklava and remove when the pastry is cooked- no longer than 30 mins! Whilst the baklava is cooking combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small pan. Gently heat this to make a sugar syrup (as long as it takes for the sugar to dissolve. Set aside to cool- be careful the syrup will be hot! Once the baklava is out of the oven generously cover in the cooled sugar syrup. Enjoy!

ROYSTON FOOD HUB

COOKING BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER, WHEREVER YOU ARE FROM IN THE WORLD

one block of butter

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.

200g crushed

Place the butter and oil in a pan and melt. Whilst the butter is melting crush the walnuts and mix with a little sugar. / Layer each sheet of pastry on one tbsp vegetable oil top of the other brushing with the melted butter oil blend in between each layer. / On top of your two cups sugar pastry add the crushed walnut and sugar mix. one cup water Bear in mind you may not need to use all of the nut mix or butter, how much you put is up to you a little lemon juice on how full you would like the baklava! We want to live in a world depending where health, five sheets of halal well being and harmony is supported within Roll the into a long sausage shape and active communities. We work withpastry communities filo pastry* into smaller to empower them to lead cut practical and pieces( the baklava will flatten when youthat cutimprove it- this is good as it will make the sustainable food related activities health and well-being andpastry whichmore help square-shaped, build / Cut each individual stronger, more cohesive communities. baklava roll in half on a diagonal making triangle pieces. Gently place these onto a baking tray. walnuts

Place into the oven and cook. Cooking time will depend on your oven temperature- keep an eye on the baklava and remove when the pastry is cooked- no longer than 30 mins! Whilst the baklava is cooking combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small pan. Gently heat this to make a sugar syrup (as long as it takes for the sugar to dissolve. Set aside to cool- be careful the syrup will be hot! Once the baklava is out of the oven generously cover in the cooled sugar syrup. Enjoy!

ROYSTON FOOD HUB

one red cabbage three carrots one cucumber one iceberg lettuce four tomatoes

Finely chop the cabbage / carrots / cucumber / lettuce and tomatoes. Mix together with the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

one juiced Lemon salt and pepper

ROYSTON FOOD HUB

THE IMPORTANCE OF EXISITING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS IS VERY MUCH PART OF HOW YOU EMBEND SOMETHING IN A CULTURE.

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

Moogety is a food hub working in Elderpark, Govan as part of Urban Roots (a community led environmental organisation). They run community food and growing activities focusing around their motto of ‘Grow, Cook, Eat Together’.

In conversation with Anne, Moggety Grub Hub Co-Ordinator. M.

How would you describe the work that Moogety does?

M/ Mathilde A/ Anne

with certain communities. For example, we work with Govan Community Project who work mainly with asylum seekers or the Elderpark Craft Cafe who work mainly with older people. We also work with A. Our strap line is growing, Plantation Productions and Make do and cooking, eating together. I Grow with families and young people. To think that sums it up, becareach the different demographics we work use we have a community garden where, people grow together, cook with our many local partners and have lots together, then there’s the community meal of open events for anyone to attend. I think, together. The idea is to make good healthy and hope, that we are accessible to local people as much as we can be. food accessible and affordable to people We always encourage people in the local community whilst engaging to get involved if they’re volunteering or with the community as much as possible. even if they’re not volunteering, just bring We work with volunteers and skilling peoa friend or something like that. What we’ve ple up. We also do certified training plus Community Achievement Awards, encour- seen happening is the local community taking ownership of the project and this is aging volunteering and development. It’s really exciting because that wasn’t there always been about engaging and consultbefore and now suddenly it’s a thriving ing the community and getting people community. What we do doesn’t exist in involved as much as possible. We don’t think that income should determine wheth- isolation. It’s all among what everyone else does as well. And I find that there’s always er or not you have access to good healthy someone there. It doesn’t have to be me food. We also encourage the idea of conor an organisation, it just needs somebody necting with your food, which is why we that will just help them out and they get to focus on community growing and cooking know each other better. People help each from scratch. I think you appreciate your other out so much. It’s just lovely to see food more if you know what goes into it that we’re kind of part of that. But we and it hasn’t had anything sprayed on it. When you put a lot of effort into something, are also giving people a place for that to happen. A lot of public spaces like pubs it tastes so much better as well. We promote this and sharing, as you may not have and tea shops you’d have to pay and you’d much money, but you can always share. At only be there for a certain time. People Moogety you could share your time helping can’t always afford that, people need to socialise, they don’t want to have to pay in the garden or doing some washing up. for it. We’ve got these spaces. We’re lucky we’ve got the community centre and Who do you work with in M. garden. People can just turn up and have a the community? chat without worrying about having to pay. We try to engage with as A. So it’s about providing those spaces.  diverse an audience as M. possible because our funding is localised. How have you been So anyone that lives in or near Govan, but working with food in your there are some people who don’t live in community?  the area that participate. My feeling is that A. if they’re getting something out of it, I’m This past year we have started not going to turn people away. The way doing Afternoon Teas in the we do this, is we work a lot with different garden. This was after three months of organisations that might already work lockdown and we weren’t allowed to do

anything. We’d had a lot of contact with isolated people over the phone and people were struggling with their mental health and social isolation. The very minute we were allowed to have two households outside we set up opportunities as often as we could in the garden. We made a big deal of it and had flowers on the tables, tablecloths, everyone had an individual cake stand with homemade scones, cream jam. We even had music when we could. So although it might be only two people meeting, they had this whole special thing set up because being able to socialise is special. For the first tea, one lady said she hadn’t seen anybody socially for three months- she was so delighted to be there. It wasn’t just sitting in the garden - it was an occasion to appreciate our friends and make it nice. That really took off and as restrictions loosened up a bit, we could have more people. I think we had several large tables for about 12 people or something and it was really great. We just had a lovely social space for people. People appreciate others’ company so much more because we’ve all been through this pandemic. Particularly with the older people. We moved online to run cookery sessions and quiz socials and set up food points in response to the crisis. We were very conscious that many people are digitally excluded-we were particularly aware that the older people were needing something. M.

How would you say your response to food empowerment in your community differs from a government intervention?

formally recognised. That’s the thing as well, the importance of existing community connections and relationships is very much part of how you embed something in a culture. Nobody likes being told you must not do this, you must not do that. This takes no consideration of the barriers that people face or the culture and environment. It’s all very well saying, Oh, you want to eat organic stuff? Well, look at the price of it, you know, I can’t afford to heat my house. I’d like to eat organic stuff, but immediate needs take priority. So often, top down initiatives don’t reflect those sorts of considerations. We work with people and support people to make their own decisions. We obviously do have an agenda-tackling obesity and public health through healthy eating. But we need to work with people to understand what the barriers are. Why is so much stuff being eaten out of tins rather than cooking?  It’s actually cheaper to eat more healthily if you’re able to cook it yourself. And it might be that somebody doesn’t have a kitchen or didn’t have anyone show them how to cook or they couldn’t afford to. We look at these things and think given this, how do we work with it to improve things. Often a lot of advice can come across as patronising when the barriers are not visible. It might be physical, psychological, or maybe somebody has had a bad school experience or don’t have the confidence to try new things. It can be an infinite amount of things. We’re trying to help people work through the barriers and support them in thinking of ways that we could change things to make things better for everybody.

Firstly, we can be more locally responsive because a government has to be a bit of one size fits all. Our approach is more coming from the other end and asking people, what do you actually need? And what do you want? Because local people know what they want and what is needed. The community already has those skills and qualities, which aren’t

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

two cups white flour two cups wholemeal one cup porridge oats one teaspoon bicarbonate of soda one ¾ tablespoon butter two and a bit cups buttermilk or thick greek youghurt quarter and a bit cup butter 1tsp of baking powder two eggs

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan) ./ Dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients into a large bowl and rub in the butter. / Pour in the buttermilk or yougurt and mix it in quickly with a table knife. / Bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle very gently). / Shape into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/ 8 inches in diameter. Put loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. / If it is not ready on time then turn it upside down and cook for a further few minutes. Transfer onto a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel. This keeps the crust nice and soft. / Leave to cool.

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

PEOPLE VALUE COMPANY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE

Our Soda Bread recipe is something that is often made in the first session of our community cooking course because it’s quicker and easier than yeasted bread. And it’s a nice thing to go with soup. We’ve cleaned up the playground behind the community centre and have started serving food there. Whatever the weather we have a place for people to sit down and have their soup. It isn’t really a food provision, but again, trying to bring people together.

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

WHAT WE DO DOESN’T EXIST IN ISOLATION. We have contributed our Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe weof actually gratedas zest two have a surprising number of vegans in the community and this the organges Preheat thewas oven to 160ºC / Gas Mark 3. Line the very first recipe that I triedtin aswith a zoom cook along. greaseproof paper or just grease the tin. one & 1/2 teaspoon The story with this is how we have adapted to using zoomorganges during the pandemic. Wecocoa foundpowder, it a juice from Sieve flour, salf, bicarbonate of little bit hard to start with because was bowl. ./ Add the organge soda intonobody a large mixing one & 1/2 teaspoon very used to the technology. What zest and made juice. it better for us in Govan was that we were able to actually bicarbonte soda make up the bags with thePut ingredients the and cocnut oil into another the browninsugar one & 3/4 cup plain recipes leave them bowl. ./ Boil water in the lettle and add the water flour or weighed and measured, for people to collect them to orthe we sugar gave people and coconut oil. ./ Mix until the 1/2 teaspoon salt payment cards to buy the ingredient the coconut oilto is join dissolved. class. 3/4 cupWe’ve cocoaactually flour found that zoom cooking has been more inclusive inAdd some thisways to thethan dry our ingredients and mix by hand or one and cooking ½ brownclasses. with ordinary [Continued mixer. overleaf} sugar 1/3 cup coconut oil one & 1/2 cups hot water from kettle

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

Bake on the middle of the shelf for about an hour. ./ Towards the end of the cooking time test with a skewer. If it still has mixture on it, it will need longer cooking time. It will come out clean when it is ready. The cake is quite gooey.

Before lockdown we were running Great Grub a six week course of basic practical cookery skills and we provide the ingredients and we have up to six people each session. We started having a rolling programme of cooking and then people could dip in and out and also if we were cooking something that they didn’t like then they didn’t have to come that week and so on. The big success was increasing access because we had women with babies in North Glasgow, who never could have come to Govan. With zoom we’ve been managing to reach people who would normally struggle to come along to the class. When we are back, we would like to carry on with zoom, as well so we can offer both and get more people involved.

grated zest of two organges one & 1/2 teaspoon juice from organges one & 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonte soda one & 3/4 cup plain flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup cocoa flour one and ½ brown sugar 1/3 cup coconut oil one & 1/2 cups hot water from kettle

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

Preheat the oven to 160ºC / Gas Mark 3. Line the tin with greaseproof paper or just grease the tin. Sieve flour, cocoa powder, salf, bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl. ./ Add the organge zest and juice. Put the brown sugar and cocnut oil into another bowl. ./ Boil water in the lettle and add the water to the sugar and coconut oil. ./ Mix until the coconut oil is dissolved. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or with mixer. Bake on the middle of the shelf for about an hour. ./ Towards the end of the cooking time test with a skewer. If it still has mixture on it, it will need longer cooking time. It will come out clean when it is ready. The cake is quite gooey.

2 cups and ¾ cups self raising flour 1tsp of baking powder half a cup caster sugar (omit if using cheese) quarter and a bit cup butter quarter and a bit cup butter 1tsp of baking powder two eggs

Put butter into freezer for about 10 minutes before starting. This makes it easy to grate and means you work the dough less. / Pre-heat oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan). Sift the flour and the baking powder into a large mixing bowl. / Take butter out of the freezer and grate into the flour mixture and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. / Stir in the sugar (and sultanas, if using) and mix to combine. In a jug, mix together one egg and milk ./ Add a little at a time (you may not need it all) into the flour mixture and lightly mix together until combined. You might want to use your hands to bring the mixture together as it hardens up. Lightly sprinkle a worktop with flour and gently knead the dough until smooth and soft. Roll to about 2.5cm (1in) thick. Using a round cookie cutter or a glass, stamp out scones. Continue stamping until you have used up the dough to make about 8 scones. / Arrange on a greased baking sheet and brush with the second beaten egg. (you will not need all of the egg mixture) Bake for about 12-15 minutes until risen and lightly golden. Serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam

Hints And Tips /Don’t overwork the dough. This will over-develop

the gluten and make your scone heavy and biscuity.

/Work quickly. Once your dough is made, you

want to get them stamped out and into the oven as quickly as possible. This is because the raising process begins once the ingredients are combined, and you ideally want this to happen in the oven.

/Get the right thickness. The optimum size of

your stamped out dough is 1” in thickness. This is equivalent to the length of your top knuckle to the tip of your thumb.

MOOGETY GRUB HUB

FATIMA’S VINE LEAVES

SEE PG. 56

ORIGINAL RECIPES

DURKAHANI’S KABULI PULAO

ORIGINAL RECIPES

SEE PG. 56

SHAWBOL’S VEGETABLE SALAD / SHOFKA’S BACKLAVA

ORIGINAL RECIPES

SEE PG. 56

100

ANABEL’S ZUCKERKUCHEN MIT

ORIGINAL RECIPES

SEE PG. 56

101

AILSA’S CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI IN MAYONNAISE CREAM SAUCE

ORIGINAL RECIPES

SEE PG. 56

103

SHOFKA’S BIRIYANI

SEE PG. 56

ORIGINAL RECIPES

105