【Beetroot Hummus】From Afghanistan to Hong Kong: Finding cultural memories and the promise of change in a single meal
【Beetroot Hummus】Jason Yip | From Afghanistan to Hong Kong: Finding cultural memories and the promise of change in a single meal
A bit about yourself:
I am Jason, a born and bred Hong Konger. Over the past 10+ years, I worked in the frontlines of humanitarian aid in armed conflict zones. Since returning to Hong Kong last year, I’ve been working in a youth thinktank, driving youth policy and related research and advocacy work.
1 / What makes a good meal?
My past work and life allowed me to try various local cuisines, such as family dishes from Palestine, Myanmar, Afghanistan, all the way to France and Switzerland. I enjoyed the flavours of many different places.
Thinking about it now, no matter how important taste was in the food experience, I always enjoyed the dinner table conversations the most. There, local friends introduced each and every dish, detailing their ingredients and background stories.
From the Palestinian maqluba (‘upside down’ rice), to Afghan dumplings, to the super hot Burmese tea leaf salad - the stories of these dishes and the way they are made are every bit as captivating as their taste.
2 / Can you share a memorable experience of ‘community’ or ‘togetherness’ in your upbringing?
In 2015, my colleagues and I suddenly got permission from the local government to provide aid for the Rohingya refugee crisis in the Bay of Bengal in western Myanmar.
The operation involved rescuing people out at sea, setting up temporary refugee camps on the coast, and arranging food and water. On top of getting only 3 hours of sleep per day, 7 days in a row, we were hit hard by the fierce monsoon season in Bangladesh. We were tired to the bone.
Despite the hardships, it was gratifying to see the refugees under protection. But of course - there was also the daily teatime, when our younger colleagues prepared ‘extra sweet’ Burmese milk tea and spicy tea leaf salads. We soon came to realise those teatimes fuelled our every day! To be honest, this kind of food… was only good for occasions like these. :)
3 / The year 2030 is an important target for global climate goals. What does this mean to you? What kind of world do you wish to see then?
In the post-COVID 2030, I hope mankind can cherish health and this place more.
I look forward to everyone living a simpler, lighter life. Many modes of consumption are actually not that meaningful.
I don’t know where I will be yet, as I am still learning how to live in Hong Kong. But recently I’ve grown fond of going to the gym, and have developed a particular interest in doing so while eating meatless. In 2030, I hope I can tell more friends that working out can be done without eating chicken breasts!
4 / How is climate change causing conflicts in other parts of the world?
5 / Share your meatless recipe.
【Beetroot Hummus】
Palestine was the first conflict zone I worked in. Hummus was a common type of home food there. Coming from Hong Kong, I found it new and delicious. My colleagues and I rushed off to many emergencies with a plate of hummus and pita bread in hand, so this dish is full of memories.
When working in Switzerland later on, I found out that the Swiss added a pinch of creativity to this Middle Eastern specialty - and to great effect. With that, I fell for this beetroot hummus.
Serves: 1
Total cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Canned chickpeas (if choose to use uncooked chickpeas, wash and soak the night before)
1 medium-sized beetroot
1/2 garlic, minced
Some olive oil
Some salt
Some black pepper
Some rockets (optional)
Steps:
Wash the chickpeas.
Wash and dice the beetroot.
Mash the chickpeas into a paste (you can use a blender). Add the beets and garlic. Mash again. Add water if needed. In the process, season with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
When finished, you can top the hummus with rockets. It’s a great combination.