In February 2021, Chef’s Pencil, a food magazine from Australia that reports on industry trends and news, ranked international cuisine according to the number of tagged foods on Instagram.
#Japanesefood featured first with 15 million tags, #Italianfood placed second at about 14 million and Indian cuisine took third place with eight million.
A year later, a comparative study was conducted to see which foods had grown in popularity. Indian cuisine placed second after Italian with about 11 million hashtags, showing a growth of 41 per cent ― by all accounts a phenomenal jump in the world of social media metrics.
The research also clocked 10,000,000 #curry, 1,460,000 #biryani, 698,000 #naan and 644,000 #panipuri tags.
Growing global footprint
About six years ago, India and Indians were increasingly represented on several platforms across the world. “From movie streaming platforms to TV shows such as MasterChef Australia, the market potential of the Indian audience was recognised and such inclusions slowly altered the stereotypical perception of India abroad,” says Thomas Zacharias, a chef from Mumbai who is working towards making a deeper intervention within the Indian food system. “Celebrity-chef-helmed restaurants and more international chefs interacting with India and Indian food have changed how people typically think of the country’s cuisines.”
Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, a culinary chronicler, food researcher and editor of the annual Godrej Food Trends Report says: “Globally people are listening to noted Indian voices more, whether it is chefs like Manish Mehrotra, who put pulled jackfruit on his menu in New York and India; Kishwar Chowdhury, who presented Bengali panta bhaat and aloo bharta at the finals of MasterChef Australia season 13; or chef Sandeep Pandit, co-host of Australian show India Unplated, who places focus on the food of Karnataka and Kashmir.
“All this has added to growing associations over the past few years with Indian food, whether it is turmeric, coconut milk, or [foods that adhere to] Ayurveda, and takes it beyond the stereotype.”
Cooking up a storm
Such interaction with Indian food, if done well, says Hemamalini Maiya, managing partner of Mavalli Tiffin Rooms in Bengaluru, can result in success stories. Her own brand, which is popularly called MTR, has become an integral part of the Singaporean and Malaysian dining scene with a constant stream of local customers.
“Promoting restaurants in a way that brings locals in has helped popularise Indian cuisine, and that is an approach that several brands are adopting,” says Maiya. “More people are experimenting, looking for newer cuisines, and sharing their experiences online. Also, more Indian brands are going abroad.”
While MTR’s Dubai outlet still has a large Indian diaspora visiting, the London outlet that opened this year holds immense potential to bring in the local crowd, believes Maiya.
Changing perceptions on the other end of the catering spectrum is Shilpa Urva, a software engineering professional and Indian home chef from Quebec, who runs Spice Tiffin. Using rice as a staple (flavoured with lemon, tamarind, coconut, ghee and vegetables), Urva offers everything from South Indian mutton stew and spicy fish curry to butter chicken (to cater to demand) and a range of barbecue boxes with meats in Indian marinades.
“When I first started Spice Tiffin in December 2020, it was to educate people about what Indian food was. It surprised most that Indian food was not just paneer and meat in a heavy cream base. Ingredients such as tamarind, coconut milk, cumin and curry leaves were new to many, and opened up variations of spices and flavours,” says Urva, who has a 100 per cent Canadian customer base at present. She says her clients are appreciative of the health factor and often remark about not feeling heavy after a meal.
Health is the operative word here.
Putting health on the table
“Often, umbrella terms become a way for people to make their first foray into a specific kind of food, contributing to the popularity of a hashtag. Curry is the easiest way to search for something, even if the term has been disputed,” says Ghildiyal. “How else would you explain a gassi, rassa or jhol to somebody who has never [eaten around] India?”
Additionally, during the pandemic, Instagram became a place of entertainment and a way to share culinary identities, as myriad figures attest. In February 2019, a survey commissioned by Facebook found 52% of Indians pursue food and drink as an interest on Instagram. A 2021 Instagram Demographics survey by Hootsuite found that, globally, 43 per cent followed food and drink as an interest on the platform.
A contributing factor to the popularity of Indian food hashtags could also have been triggered from within India, believes Zacharias. “During the pandemic, we have gone deeper into and thought about what we are eating. We have gone back to our roots, to comfort food, to food that is familiar. Even the engagement among the Indian diaspora was about what we cooked at home and what we are getting excited about,” he says.
During global lockdowns, food was one of the main indulgences, and people became evermore creative with it. We began to explore ways to cook the same ingredients but from across cuisines. Health and immunity-boosting became important, and everyone from food enthusiasts to chefs were sharing knowledge online.
“India has always been associated with yoga, healing and Ayurveda, and it was natural for the healing properties of spices to come to the forefront. This led to an increase in the use of Indian ingredients and a further digression into how you can cook in various ways incorporating these spices into your daily habits,” says chef Vineet Bhatia, widely considered the father of progressive Indian cuisine, with restaurants such as Kama by Vineet in Harrods, London, and Indego by Vineet in Dubai.
He says the scales also tipped towards plant-based meals, something that India’s numerous, yet hitherto untapped, vegetarian recipes could cater to across cultures and beyond borders. “What became evident is that it’s no longer just Indian food we are talking about, but Indian cuisine, its variety and its depth," says Bhatia. "It is more than biryani, samosas and butter chicken, and that is what has come out stronger.”
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Company%20profile
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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.
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
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)
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
