Taste of Freedom: Recipes for Resilience

By Shandra Woworuntu

“Taste of Freedom: Recipes for Resilience” is not only a cookbook. It is a testimony to the power of the human spirit. Since 2014, Shandra Woworuntu, Founder of the Mentari Human Trafficking Survivor Empowerment Program, has drawn inspiration and purpose from the art of cooking and baking. For years, Mentari Culinary Arts Program has provided a gateway to self-sufficiency, and a path to re-integration for newly-exited survivors of all forms of human trafficking. Mentari Program’s survivor graduates, and the allies who support Mentari, hail from diverse cultural backgrounds and share their treasured family recipes in this collection.

The Mentari Program has become a network and community where survivors find self-empowerment and support. In Taste of Freedom, you will find delightful and tempting dishes you can prepare and enjoy in your home kitchen. Featured recipes include Peruvian Seafood Ceviche, Barley Green Pea Salad, Hiroshi Zaru Soba, Korean Tofu Kimchi, Jamaican Escovitch Fish, Locrio de Pollo dominicano, Old English Date-Coconut Pie, and African Ginger Pineapple Drink.

Heartwarming stories and inspiring quotes from our contributors grace the pages of this cookbook – it’s nourishing to both body and spirit. Photographs taken during culinary classes evoke joy and hope.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from Taste of Freedom go directly to Mentari to continue the programs to help and support economic empowerment Program.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Apr 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781982264642

Shandra Woworuntu

Shandra Woworuntu is the founder of Mentari, an organization to empower trafficking survivors to reintegrate into society independently through D.R.E.A.M.—direct services, resources, empowerment, advocacy, and mentorship. She is a survivor of human trafficking and domestic violence and has dedicated her life to raising awareness and to mentor and empower survivors. In 2015, Shandra was appointed by President Barack Obama to be a member of the first US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. She was a 2017 national honoree of L’Oréal Paris’ annual philanthropic program, Women of Worth, for her outstanding leadership and her tireless work to create positive changes in her community through Mentari. Often you will find her working as a volunteer to help survivors. Points of Light awarded her with the Daily Points of Light Award created by US President George H. W. Bush. She recently received recognition as the 2020 Power of Diversity 100—the most Asian American in Politics and Policy in the State and City of New York.

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 Shandra Woworuntu.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

844-682-1282

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-6465-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-6464-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021903688

Balboa Press rev. date: 04/13/2021

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Dedication

To

Tania Yusuf, Nick Aritonang, and Randall Roca.

Thank you for your outstanding support in my daily work.

To

Survivors of human trafficking,

Set the goal!

The goal can be reached with the plan, focus, hard work, and not giving up easily.

I will always believe that you will achieve it.

To

Freedom For All.

Thank you for all your assistance and support; we have traveled this journey together.

Contents

DEDICATION

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

BREAKFAST

RAISIN FRENCH TOAST

POPOVERS WITH SCALLION BUTTER

BERRY-BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

KALE-CHEDDAR SCONES

LITTLE NICK’S EGG OMELET

SPINACH AND CORN FRITTATA AND SALAD

SOUP

PUERTO RICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

VEGETABLE SOUP

SPICY LENTIL SOUP

GRANDMA’S CHICKEN SOUP

ITALIAN-STYLE MEATBALL SOUP

SALAD

CRAB STICK SALAD

SUMMER WATERMELON SALAD

NEW YEAR PEA SALAD

TAHINI CUCUMBER SALAD

BARLEY EDAMAME SALAD

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

APPETIZERS

BRUSCHETTA

PERUVIAN SEAFOOD CEVICHE

CRAB CAKES

DEVILED EGGS

RICE BALLS WITH MOZZARELLA (MOZZARELLA ARANCINI)

EVE’S EMPANADA

PASTA AND NOODLE

FILIPINO SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE PANCIT BIHON

HIROSHI’S ZARU SOBA

SESAME NOODLES WITH PEANUT SAUCE

MINT AND WALNUT PESTO PAPPARDELLE

VIETNAMESE-STYLE NOODLES WITH SHRIMP

MENTARI’S MARINARA SAUCE

VEGETARIAN

INDONESIAN VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

TOFU CURRY

PASI’S GRILLED EGGPLANT

KOREAN TOFU KIMCHI STEW

GRILLED STUFFED POBLANOS

SEAFOOD

FILIPINO ESCABECHE FISH

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE DELIGHT

BAKED SALMON WITH MANGO SALSA

JAMAICAN ESCOVITCH FISH

POULTRY

LOCRIO DE POLLO DOMINICANO

FILIPINO CHICKEN ADOBO

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

PARK AVE. CHICKEN

SKILLET LEMON CHICKEN

MEAT

MEXICAN CARNITAS

AUTUMN BEEF CASSEROLE

TORTILLA PIZZA

BROOKLYN JOHN’S MEATLOAF

LAMB RIS BID FEEN (ARABIC UPSIDE-DOWN RICE)

BREAD

COTTAGE CHEESE ROLLS

OATMEAL BREAD

CORNBREAD

SUNFLOWER SEED BREAD

SUMMER ZUCCHINI BREAD

DESSERT

MRAVLJA (SKILLET APPLE PIE)

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

BENGALI RICE PUDDING

SHARLENA’S BROWNIE

OLD ENGLISH DATE COCONUT PIE

LINZER COOKIES

DRINKS

STRAWBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIE

LUZ’S ORANGE TEA

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

SHERBET PUNCH

INDONESIAN JAMU

AFRICAN GINGER PINEAPPLE DRINK

PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

A NOTE FROM AN ALUMNUS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Foreword

When I met Shandra Woworuntu for the first time, I was completely blown away by her story of perseverance. The transformation that she has gone through is inspirational for anyone. We have become great allies in building our shared network of antitrafficking advocates and survivors. Shandra’s strong will and infectious positivity have led her to become a leader in the movement to end human trafficking and modern slavery.

After building her own organization, Mentari, which translated from her native language of Indonesian to English means sunlight, Shandra was appointed by former US president Barack Obama to be a member of the first US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. As an international leader in fighting human trafficking, Shandra frequently speaks to raise awareness at conferences and in schools, universities, and at public events.

Shandra is tireless in her efforts to help those who have been enslaved reintegrate into society with a brighter future as a result of the Mentari Culinary Arts Program. The program is the culmination of years of work in helping survivors of human trafficking in the United States and around the world.

Incredibly, as many as 93 percent of graduates of Mentari’s culinary program are employed, an indication of the program’s great success. This cookbook, Taste of Freedom, was inspired by survivors who attended the Mentari Culinary Arts Program, many of whom asked for a recipe book that they can use to practice at home. With the support of Shandra’s community, the Taste of Freedom cookbook was created and published in 2021. Some of these recipes represent the food from people of different cultures with whom Mentari has collaborated. Some are recipes from the Culinary Arts Program, while others were contributed by survivors and their allies.

The recipes provide the basis on which survivors can improve their cooking skills and provide better economic opportunities in the future. Hopefully the stories and words from survivors and their advocates will inspire everyone who reads this book.

Katie Ford

Founder of Freedom For All

Healing is a process we give ourselves after the storm; survival itself is the

offer that empowers us to continue working toward our purpose.

Through the expression of art, we spread love and self-heal through creation. Shandra

embodies all these elements—strength, power, beauty, and creativity—unabridged.

Her energy pours into her work and kitchen. This is a collection to enjoy.

A Taste of Freedom, a release of artistry for the world to nourish the soul and appetite. Enjoy!

—Yaritza Ruiz,

MEd, Human Trafficking Advocate for Awareness

Acknowledgments

Writing this book is not as easy as I imagined because I took the time to gather the recipes and quotes from the contributors.

It started from my conversation with survivors in the training center at The Unitarian Church for All Souls. Brainstorming with Yinan Xia was helpful during this challenging journey. I didn’t give up. I kept going with the plan. Writing the stories and the quotes from contributors, gave me the strength to continue with the work in helping other people at Mentari Culinary Arts Program.

Special thanks to the photographers. Importantly to Nilaya Sabnis, who photographed the cover picture for L’Oreal Paris during the 2017 Women of Worth celebration. Many of these pictures are taken by Chloe Perceval, who visited the culinary arts program at Unitarian Church for All Soul Kitchen. I would also like to thank Juan Jimenez and Andrea Scrivanich for their photography contribution to this book.

Taste of Freedom, recipes for resilience wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful people who contributed to and supporting the process. Thank you, Randall Roca, Marti MacGibbon, Margeaux Gray, Ima Matul, Tiffany Panhilason, Natasha Ishak, and John Moogan for their outstanding support during the process of publishing this cookbook. And of course, to my children, Tania and Nicholas who always support their mother.

I would like to thank Katie Ford, the founder of Freedom For All, who believed and supported me for the work I do with survivors since 2015. Mentari Culinary Arts Program was fully funded by Freedom For All, who helped hundreds of survivors.

Importantly, I’d like to thank the Survivors who attended and participated in the Culinary Arts Program. You inspired me every single day. You allow me to witness the growth in your confidence and the bright path you walk towards independence.

Last but not