The third session of “I Love Aveiro - Cooking for Solidarity” – Agora Aveiro’s most delicious workshop series – took place on February 8th at the show cooking space of Alma de Alecrim, a store in downtown Aveiro. During a busy morning, 15 participants had the chance to prepare a selection of classic South Indian dishes. Guided by Madhuri Desai, who had joined previous project sessions, they learned some of her culinary secrets. Madhuri, who has lived in Portugal for over a decade, describes cooking as a way to connect with those around her, and this collaborative spirit was central to the session.

Tasks ranged from frying onion Pakoda to cooking rice to accompany Palakura Pappu (a lentil and spinach-based main dish), allowing everyone to contribute to this multicultural lunch. Alongside the delicious food, the session also featured storytelling and traditions, such as references to the Kumbh Mela festival (celebrated between January and February this year) and discussions about the flavors and aromas of spices characteristic of the world’s most populous country.

This celebration of diversity and exploration of cultural influences coexisting in the Aveiro region are central to the “I Love Aveiro - Cooking for Solidarity” project. Soon, we’ll return with new sessions dedicated to Mexican and Moroccan cuisine, promising to once again tantalize participants’ taste buds.

"I love Aveiro - Cooking for Solidarity" aims to promote the social inclusion of migrants and refugees in Aveiro through the sharing of food, recipes, and traditions. The project celebrates the diversity of our region and explores different cultural influences around us. We love the ovos moles and eels, but Aveiro in 2024 is much more than that. There are close to 100 nationalities living in our region and we want to learn about the new flavours in our city! This is just the first one out of many workshops that we are planning for you, so stay tuned.

“Cooking for Solidarity” is part of “I Love Aveiro” project and is organized by Agora Aveiro in partnership with concept store Alma de Alecrim, Histórias ao Lume, and CLAIM Aveiro. It is co-financed by the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Union. It also had the support from the Municipality of Aveiro and IPDJ - Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude, I.P..