If you’re a fan of samosas – the savoury, crunchy snack – then you’re in luck. September 5 is annually celebrated as World Samosa Day, and there’s no better time to dig into the treat that goes so well with a piping hot cup of tea.
For those unaccustomed to the humble street food item, it’s a triangular-shaped pastry that comes with a range of fillings. Different parts of the world have their iteration of the snack – from samboosa to sambusek – while samosa is the version enjoyed in most parts of South Asia.
Whether you’re taking the opportunity to discover the samosa or celebrate it, here are some places to head to:
In Dubai
India Bistro
For an authentic version of a hearty Punjabi samosa, head to this modern Indian restaurant. The snack comes perfectly golden brown and crispy on the outside and warm and spicy on the inside, and four pieces will only set you back Dh15.
Open daily; noon to midnight; Dh 15 for four pieces; Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai WTC; 0526529353
Project Chaiwala
The home-grown brand has an eclectic take on the snack. Their smashmosa is a mashed-up samosa, generously topped with bhujia, a fried Indian snack, along with onions, pomegranate seeds and tomatoes.
Open daily; prices start at Dh20; available at Cinema Akil and Two Leaves by Project Chaiwala; www.projectchaiwala.com
Gazebo
The restaurant offers samosas in a variety of fillings. Apart from the standard vegetarian option, which features steamed and spiced mashed potatoes, there’s a cheese option and a minced chicken version to tuck into. The dainty samosas come in a pyramid-shaped pastry.
Open daily; timings vary; prices start at Dh17.5; www.gazebo.ae
Farzi Cafe
For a more elevated approach, Farzi Cafe, which has branches in Mall of the Emirates and City Walk, might be your best bet. The restaurant has just launched a dedicated chaat menu, complete with a “chaatwala” who rolls a cart around and rings a bell to catch guests' attention and whip up some dishes for them. Customers can try their sumac Punjabi samosa chaat, complete with chickpea mash and sweet-and-spicy sauce.
Open daily; noon to 10.15pm; Dh25; Mall of the Emirates and City Walk; www.farzicafe.ae
Logma
If you’re craving a more local touch, then modern Emirati restaurant Logma has a range of samboosas. Try the cheese samboosa which features cream cheese with a blend of Chips Oman. They also have a minced beef and chicken version, apart from the usual vegetable samboosa with a potato stuffing.
Open daily; Dh34 onwards; 10am to midnight; branches in Al Wasl, Dubai Mall, City Center Mirdif; www.logma.ae
Carnival by Tresind
The fine dining Indian establishment offers a wonderfully gourmet version of the dish. The samosa chaat features a crispy samosa shell topped with helpings of mint and tamarind chutney, for a creative mix of flavours and textures.
Open daily; Dh79; noon to 11.30pm; Dh80; DIFC Dubai; 044218665
Dhaba Lane
For a sweet twist to the street food item, head to this restaurant, which has two branches in Dubai. Dhaba Lane is creating a limited-edition chocolate samosa, available from Sunday to Saturday, September 11. Expect to find a decadent chocolate brownie filling, covered with melted chocolate.
Sunday, September 5 to Saturday, September 11; Dhaba Lane Karama and Dhaba Lane Garhoud; www.dhaba-lane.com
In Abu Dhabi
Bikanervala
It is known for its delectable range of Indian sweets and street food, and the samosas are also much talked about. For an ideal sharing snack, order up a plate and you’ll get two pieces with a tender potato filling. The restaurant also serves samosa pav (a samosa between bun) and samosa chaat, and has branches across the UAE.
Open daily; Dh7 for two pieces; locations across UAE; www.bikanervala.com
Chappan Bhog
This vegetarian restaurant started as a small Indian sweets and savories shop in Abu Dhabi in 1996. Apart from a variety of chaats, dosas and thalis, it also serves a hearty and authentic samosa, perfectly spiced, with a flavourful green chutney.
Open daily; 8.30am to 11.30pm; Dh3.25 per piece; Salam Street, Behind ADCB Bank; chhappanbhogabudhabi.business.site
Indian by Nature
Another vegetarian-only restaurant, Indian by Nature is known for its range of sizzler and thali items. If you're heading there, be sure to try the myriad chaats and end the meal by splitting a much-loved samosa, with a mildly-spiced potato filling and green chutney.
Open daily; 8am-11.30pm; Dh4 per piece; Branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai; indianbynature.ae
Snack Park
This hole-in-the-wall venue is widely considered a hidden gem by those in the know. It serves a range of South Indian snacks and you can get your hands on a South Indian-style samosa for a budget price. It's also one of the few places that serves a cup of chai for Dh1.
Open daily; 5am-midnight; Dh1 onwards; Mussafah Sanaiya, Abu Dhabi; 0506961157
UAE SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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)
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
How do Sim card scams work?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards by claiming to be the victim, often pretending their phone has been lost or stolen in order to secure a new Sim.
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Brief scores:
Barcelona 3
Pique 38', Messi 51 (pen), Suarez 82'
Rayo Vallecano 1
De Tomas Gomez 24'
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
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Rating: 4/5
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mobile phone packages comparison
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Company%20profile
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
