Quinoa is a complex carbohydrate, a complete protein source and gluten-free. Photo: Scott Price
Quinoa is a complex carbohydrate, a complete protein source and gluten-free. Photo: Scott Price
Quinoa is a complex carbohydrate, a complete protein source and gluten-free. Photo: Scott Price
Quinoa is a complex carbohydrate, a complete protein source and gluten-free. Photo: Scott Price

Quinoa's 'superfood' health benefits explained as UAE begins growth trials


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The UAE's first quinoa cultivation trials began this week amid a push for sustainable agriculture. Silal, the agritech company spearheading the programme with the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture and investment company ADQ, said the trials showed high potential for two new varieties that could produce both greater yields and nutrition quality, with the latter factor crucial given the ingredient is lauded primarily for its health benefits.

Undoubtedly a modern-day health food, quinoa was dubbed la chisaya mama (the mother grain) by the Incas and considered a sacred gift from the gods.

Health benefits of quinoa

Due to its high nutritional content, the UN views quinoa as a “supercrop”, while Nasa has included it on the list of recommended foods for space missions. Sisters Carolyn Hemming and Patricia Green, co-authors of Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood, are widely credited with pioneering the quinoa craze. “After I tried quinoa, we both began incorporating it into anything we could, replacing other, nutritionally inferior foods with vitamin- and mineral-packed quinoa wherever possible,” says Hemming.

Quinoa is a complex carbohydrate, a complete protein source and gluten-free, says

Laura Holland, a nutritionist and integrative medicine expert working in the UK and UAE, and a keen advocate of quinoa, says: “Nutritionally speaking, quinoa is a superstar – a complex carbohydrate, a complete protein source, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids making it an excellent food for anyone following a vegetarian or vegan diet, and it's fibre-rich and gluten-free. This means quinoa is easy to digest for most people, and is an efficient source of balanced energy and nutrients.”

Holland adds: “Quinoa also has an abundance of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins such as manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron and B vitamins. This combination protects cells, balances blood sugar, supports your mood, harmonises hormones, improves digestion, promotes a sense of fullness, provides vital energy and nourishes your body on all levels.

“It is excellent for diabetics, is heart-healthy thanks to fats such as oleic acid, a healthy monounsaturated fat, and alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, and contributes to bone health and density.”

Although often thought of as a grain, quinoa is a member of the same family as spinach rather than a true grain such as wheat or rice. However, rather than the leaf, it's the edible seed, which has a nutty flavour and a slightly chewy texture, that is easy to cook, endlessly versatile and filling without being heavy.

When cooking regular quinoa seeds, Hemming and Green recommend a technique that they call the “steam and set method”.

Quinoa recipes

Hemming adds: “Using a 1:2 ratio; cook one cup of quinoa and two cups of water [or broth]. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off and let the quinoa set, covered, for an additional five to 10 minutes. This will ensure any remaining moisture is soaked up and your cooked quinoa will be light and fluffy.”

The recipes below demonstrate just how versatile quinoa is. It can be served with curries, stir-fries or casseroles instead of rice. You can substitute quinoa for couscous or bulghur wheat in salads; use it to bulk up soups or stews; make quinoa scrambles for breakfast; and quinoa biscuits for dessert. Quinoa flour can replace regular flour when baking or you can simply add vegetables, spices, chickpeas and dried fruit to cooked quinoa.

Recipe: Spiced quinoa burgers

Makes four to six burgers

Quinoa burgers are a great vegetarian option. Photo: Niek Verlaan / Pixabay
Quinoa burgers are a great vegetarian option. Photo: Niek Verlaan / Pixabay

Ingredients

200g quinoa

2 cups water or stock

Small head broccoli, cut into small florets

50g frozen peas

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

50g shiitake mushrooms, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

One small bunch coriander, leaves picked and chopped

Lime, zest and juice

1 egg

Salt and black pepper

Ingredients for garnish

Mixed salad leaves

Mint raita

Mango chutney

Method

Cook the quinoa in double its volume of water or stock (for this recipe, two cups of stock). Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the quinoa to set, keeping the lid on. After 10 minutes, the quinoa should be fluffy. Leave to cool.

Cook the broccoli and peas in boiling salted water for two minutes, before draining well. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.

Fry a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and saute gently for four to six minutes, until softened. Sprinkle over the cumin and coriander and cook for a further one to two minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and leave to cool slightly.

Tip the quinoa into a large bowl and add the broccoli and peas, followed by the spiced vegetable mixture, the chopped coriander and the lime juice and zest. Beat in the egg, season and stir together until well combined.

With damp hands, shape the mixture into patties. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the patties to the pan and cook for two minutes on each side, until light golden.

Carefully transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and cook in the oven for 15 minutes, until browned and quite firm. Serve warm, in a burger bun if you wish, with mixed salad leaves and a spoonful of mint raita and mango chutney.

Source: Chef Scott Price

Recipe: Sumac chicken and quinoa salad

Serves four to six

Always combine quinoa with good quality olive oil, recommends chef Adrian Bandyk. Photo: Ghaf Kitchen
Always combine quinoa with good quality olive oil, recommends chef Adrian Bandyk. Photo: Ghaf Kitchen

Ingredients for chicken

4 cornfed chicken breasts, skin on

1 tbsp sumac

1 tsp sweet paprika powder

2 tsp flaked sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

¼ tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp fresh thyme, picked and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Ingredients for quinoa

200g quinoa

1 tbsp preserved lemon skin, julienne

3 medium red onions, thinly sliced

100ml balsamic vinegar

¼ cup mint leaves, washed and picked

¼ cup parsley leaves, washed and picked

¼ cup coriander leaves, washed and picked

100g rocket leaves

2 tbsp toasted seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds)

Flaked sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

Method

In a mixing bowl, combine sumac, paprika, thyme, garlic, cinnamon, salt, black pepper and olive oil. Add the chicken and coat it with the spice mix. Leave to marinate for two hours.

Meanwhile, put quinoa into a pot with cold water and boil until tender according to cooking instructions.

Cook thinly sliced red onions in olive oil until caramelised, looking for a golden brown colour, then add balsamic vinegar and cook until the liquid is completely evaporated. Let it cool down.

Put the frying pan on a high heat, drain the chicken from the marinade and cook skin side down for two minutes, then turn over for another two minutes. Transfer on to a baking tray and roast in the oven at 180ºC for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Set aside for a few minutes to rest, then thinly slice it across the grain.

In a bowl, mix cooked quinoa, balsamic onions, preserved lemon, herbs, rocket leaves, olive oil and season well. Divide salad into four plates and top with chicken. Drizzle over olive oil and sprinkle with toasted seeds.

Source: Chef Adrian Bandyk

Recipe: Quinoa porridge

Serves two

Garnish options include berries, nuts and yoghurt. Pawan Singh / The National
Garnish options include berries, nuts and yoghurt. Pawan Singh / The National

Ingredients

100g quinoa

250ml milk

125ml water

Vanilla pod (optional)

Ingredients for garnish

Mixed berries

Natural yoghurt

Method

Add the quinoa to a saucepan along with half the milk, the water, the seeds from the vanilla pod and the pod itself. Stir well, place over a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.

A couple of minutes before you are ready to serve, add the remaining milk and stir well. Discard the vanilla pod and divide the quinoa between two bowls. Top with the yoghurt and mixed berries.

Source: Chef Scott Price

RESULTS

6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).

7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.

8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.

8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m​​​​​​​
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

Things Heard & Seen

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

2/5

Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

if you go

The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.

The trip 

Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.

The specs: 2018 Audi RS5

Price, base: Dh359,200

Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km

Company%C2%A0profile
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if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AS%20WE%20EXIST
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Kaoutar%20Harchi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Other%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20176%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Sonchiriya

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey

Rating: 3/5

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 420 bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: from Dh293,200

On sale: now

While you're here
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Updated: September 26, 2024, 3:01 AM`