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
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
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
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
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%20profile
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on Quran memorisation:
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
%3Cp%3EBy%202030%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%20aims%20to%20achieve%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2039.3%20million%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20nearly%2064%25%20up%20from%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20Dh90%20billion%20contribution%20to%20GDP%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2084%25%20more%20than%20Dh49%20billion%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20178%2C000%20new%20jobs%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20bringing%20the%20total%20to%20about%20366%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2052%2C000%20hotel%20rooms%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20up%2053%25%20from%2034%2C000%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%207.2%20million%20international%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20almost%2090%25%20higher%20compared%20to%202023's%203.8%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%203.9%20international%20overnight%20hotel%20stays%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2022%25%20more%20from%203.2%20nights%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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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.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
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
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Oppenheimer
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DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
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How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPIDER-MAN%3A%20ACROSS%20THE%20SPIDER-VERSE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cylinder%20turbo%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E680hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C020Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEarly%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh530%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
