Baked yellow lentil falafel, warm freekeh and aubergine salad, Moroccan chicken with green olive and harissa salsa, and roasted quails with cinnamon and pomegranate molasses are all dishes that can grace your sofra (dining table), should you take your cues from Bilhana: Wholefood Recipes From Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco, a cookbook published in June by the American University in Cairo Press.
Co-authored by sisters Yasmine and Shewekar Elgharably, who live in Cairo, Bilhana is sumptuously illustrated with photographs by Egyptian-British photographer Yehia El Alaily.
As indicated in the introduction of the heritage-infused book, “bon appetit” is the closest translation to bilhana. However, those in the know would agree it does not entirely capture the cultural nuances of this Egyptian-Arabic word. A term that signifies generosity, warmth and the act of coming together to share lovingly made food, bilhana is perhaps untranslatable.
Healthy Middle Eastern recipes
“We wanted to focus on our heritage recipes, [especially] the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern styles of cooking,” Yasmine tells The National. “Our aim was to highlight that our traditional food can be cooked in a healthy way, and that it is clean as well as grain and vegetable-based.”
Be it keto, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or paleo, Bilhana fits all diets trending right now. Those not on a diet will still end up with a beautiful sofra
Shewekar Elgharably
The sisters grew up in a family of home cooks. Yasmine is the founder of CairoCooking.com, “a collaborative platform spreading cooking inspirations between passionate home cooks”, while Shewekar is a holistic health coach, nutritionist and recipe developer.
“I studied health coaching and designed a culinary nutrition programme that helped me understand how to use ingredients in healing, and which ingredients should be cooked together to ensure the greatest absorption of vitamins and minerals,” Shewekar says. “This [knowledge] was reflected in the recipes we developed for this book.”
It took the duo two years to finalise Bilhana – from developing and testing some recipes to perfection, and editing, modifying and replacing others. Working closely with them was El Alaily, whose decluttered, modern and enticing images give this book a soothing vibe.
“The main idea was to show Middle Eastern food in a modern way. We didn’t want to feature the copper trays or khayamiyya tablecloth [usually used as props]. We were after a very modern book,” El Alaily says.
“The backgrounds are the same throughout. No plastic was used in keeping with the healthy aspect. We used handmade clay products, mostly sourced from Fayoum [Egyptian city], as well as some porcelain and ceramic products.”
Focus on local ingredients
Beyond the twist of innovation recognisable in most recipes, Bilhana celebrates local seasonal ingredients cooked to uphold their flavour.
“Yasmine and I are always inspired by the sight of vegetables on carts in Egypt and across the Arab region. We always want to stop and buy,” says Shewekar. “I’m also signed up with farms that deliver baskets of fresh produce. I love the element of surprise that comes with deciding what to cook with these ingredients. I think it is this passion that inspired our recipes for the book."
When it comes to the cooking process, the duo tries to “bring out the best in ingredients as opposed to overcook or kill [their flavour] with spices. This is how we normally cook at home and it was just reflected in the making of our book,” says Yasmine.
The sisters were also eager to design the recipes to be accessible to amateur cooks and kitchen experts alike, “without overcomplicating things”, says Shewekar. Accordingly, Bilhana opens with an In Your Pantry section, a two-page guide advising readers on the best products to buy, from good-quality olive oil, tahini and pomegranate molasses to fresh parsley, arugula and mint, as well as a vast selection of spices, grains, legumes and pulses.
“As part of my health coaching and culinary programme, I had to give some workshops [teaching] people how to cook. I’d always receive questions about where to source clean ingredients and how to store them to prevent them from going bad,” Shewekar says of the reason behind penning this section.
Also included are easy-to-follow instructions on how to store cooked food and the most efficient kitchen equipment to use.
Diet-friendly recipes
Following the introduction are the Breakfast & Mezze, Soups & Stews, Salads, Pulses & Grains, and Veggies & Greens sections, each featuring clean, appetising and simple-to-make dishes, such as vegetable-filled egg shakshouka, Moroccan chickpea soup, beet and mint salad, and vine leaf pie.
The Roasts & Grills and From the Sea sections include a vast selection of popular Middle Eastern dishes, including chicken messakhan and almond-crusted sea bass.
As for dessert, there is plenty to pick out from the delightfully titled Sweet Things section, which comprises “power snacks for before or after exercise, or in the middle of the day when you’re in a hurry”, says Yasmine.
Examples include date and tahini cups and orange hibiscus ice-pops.
Finally, the Drinks section promises the same delectability, with date jallab and iced Turkish coffee being some of the featured options.
The result is a recipe book that has something for every meal planner yearning for a Middle Eastern treat. As Shewekar pus it: “Be it keto, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or paleo, Bilhana fits all diets trending right now. Those not on a diet will still end up with a beautiful sofra.”
'Bilhana: Wholefood Recipes From Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco' is available at AUC Press website or amazon.com
Poacher
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THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
UK%20-%20UAE%20Trade
%3Cp%3ETotal%20trade%20in%20goods%20and%20services%20(exports%20plus%20imports)%20between%20the%20UK%20and%20the%20UAE%20in%202022%20was%20%C2%A321.6%20billion%20(Dh98%20billion).%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2063.0%20per%20cent%20or%20%C2%A38.3%20billion%20in%20current%20prices%20from%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20was%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%2019th%20largest%20trading%20partner%20in%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%20Q4%202022%20accounting%20for%201.3%20per%20cent%20of%20total%20UK%20trade.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Klipit%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Venkat%20Reddy%2C%20Mohammed%20Al%20Bulooki%2C%20Bilal%20Merchant%2C%20Asif%20Ahmed%2C%20Ovais%20Merchant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Digital%20receipts%2C%20finance%2C%20blockchain%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%244%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Privately%2Fself-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The%20specs
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
RESULTS
6.30pm: Longines Conquest Classic Dh150,000 Maiden 1,200m.
Winner: Halima Hatun, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer).
7.05pm: Longines Gents La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,200m.
Winner: Moosir, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Longines Equestrian Collection Dh150,000 Maiden 1,600m.
Winner: Mazeed, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Longines Gents Master Collection Dh175,000 Handicap.
Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Longines Ladies Master Collection Dh225,000 Conditions 1,600m.
Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Longines Ladies La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,600m.
Winner: Secret Trade, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
10pm: Longines Moon Phase Master Collection Dh170,000 Handicap 2,000m.
Winner:
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
SCORES
Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)
bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
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Naga
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AIDA%20RETURNS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarol%20Mansour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAida%20Abboud%2C%20Carol%20Mansour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5.%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
