Salamati

A heartwarming story of resilience, homesickness and good Persian cooking in 70 glorious recipes.

'By eating my food, you come into my family. You are sitting with me, with my grandparents, parents and cousins, talking, sharing and enjoying the feeling of being together.'

Hamed Allahyari cooks to connect - for that joyful moment you can say salamati (Persian for 'health' and 'cheers') around the table. A restaurateur in Iran, it was natural for Hamed to gravitate to food after a long and perilous journey to settlement in Melbourne. He road-tested his dishes at hundreds of cooking classes, eventually launching his heartfelt cafe and SalamaTea restaurant. With every swipe of warm pita through herbed dadami dip, every bite of braised lamb with dried lime and saffron rice, every sip of homemade sour cherry tea, Hamed shines a light on his past in his native Tehran and continues to build an optimistic Australian future.

This book is a gateway to Persian culinary culture, with recipes that are simple, celebratory and appealing, flexible and full of flavour. Wherever you live and whatever your background, you are invited to join the feast.

About the Author

Hamed Allahyari was born in Iran and arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2012. In Iran, Hamed was a chef and restaurateur when his life was placed in danger. He soon realised that leaving - immediately - was his only option.

He travelled to Indonesia, then by rickety fishing boat towards Australia where he was detained on Christmas Island. Hamed was released into the community and slowly built a new life. His Melbourne restaurant SalamaTea is a hard-won sanctuary, a business that fuels his immigrant dream as well as a place for sharing pride in Persian cooking.

Hamed has also brought his flair and talent to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and the Free to Feed cooking school. He is much loved in Melbourne food circles for his advocacy for other refugees as well as support for food service operators during the pandemic.