first-handthescatteringeffectsof war
onAfghanistan’smemoryandculture,
coaxedParwanaintobeing.Inthisway,
Parwanawasdrivenbycommemoration,
reconciliationandcreativity,tingedwith
a mixtureoflossandhope.
However,inhindsight,thestrandsof
theideahadlongexistedinmanyguises,
andhadbeenfindingtheirwaytousto
consolidateandexpress,wellbeforewe
openedthedoorstoParwanain2009.
Therestaurant,andthefoodweshared,
wasa manifestationoftheimmensehistory
ofcross-pollinationandculturalexchange
thatunderpinnedAfghanistan’shistory
at thecentreoftheancientSilkRoad.
Astimemarchedonandchangeunfolded
ontheland,includingtheemergence
ofAfghanistanasa nationstate,thiswas
capturedinthecuisineandthetraditions
surroundingit.Bythetimetheheavyclouds
ofconflictgatheredoverhead,myfamily
hadmigratedtoAustralia– and,withthe
emotionsofexile,whosechallengesand
opportunitieswerenowourstocarry,food
tookona newpoignancyandsignificance.
Foodwasneverstatic,butanever-evolving
waytostayanchoredtoourhistorywhile
fillingoursailswithhopesfortomorrow.
Forus,foodhadbecomea meanstotell
a biggerstory.Thisbookcontainsnotonly
recipes,butalsothehistoryandenergies
thatliebehindthem.
Parwana,124BHenleyBeachRd,Torrensville,
SA, (08) 8443 9001, parwana.com.auM
y familyneverhadanygrand
plantobeintherestaurant
game.Parwanabeganwith
mymotherFarida(pictured
above)andherintuitionthat,asmigrants
toAustralia,it wasincreasinglyimportant
thatwepreservethecustoms,flavoursand
essenceofourAfghancuisine,andalso
shareit withthoseinournewhome.She
carriedwithhera generationallyengrained
loveforhertraditionalfoodandtherituals
thatsitalongsideit. This,combinedwithour
experience as displaced people, witnessingFarida Ayubi94 GOURMET TRAVELLER