Most foodies who call the UAE home are great connoisseurs of tuna, and I'm not even being facetious.
A spectacle that often bemuses and delights me is watching 15-year-olds effortlessly order Maguro, Ahi, Toro and Otoro in fancy sushi restaurants – a far cry from the 15-year-old me who was busy trying to improve instant noodles with egg preparations and cheese.
At 30, I would happily swap a designer handbag for a plate of Otoro myself (OK, fine, it better be a copious plate). The stay-at-home measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic also awoke in me an appreciation for all canned goods.
I felt empowered and a little like a doomsday prepper – chuffed at being perfectly adept at turning out meals with canned beans, chickpeas and, of course, tuna.
The three merits of canned tuna are that it’s inexpensive, has a long shelf life and is absolutely delicious, especially with a few genius flavour combinations using other pantry staples.
The recipes listed here are punchy, easy to make and even easier to transport in lunch boxes for picnics or from the kitchen to the couch. Best of all, they’ll leave you feeling both smart and satiated.
Tuscan tuna sandwiches
Serves 3
An explosion of bright and light Mediterranean flavours, these sandwiches are as much a joy to look at as they are to eat. They get better as they sit, infusing the bread with the collective flavours of all ingredients.
Ingredients
- 260g tuna in water, drained
- 1½ tbsp red onion
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise + 2 tbsp pesto
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 ciabatta buns
- Salted butter, to spread
- ½ cup pesto
- 1 cup arugula, washed and dried in a salad spinner
- 1 cucumber, cut in half then sliced lengthways into fours
- 3 medium mozzarella balls, sliced into rounds
- 12-15 sun-dried tomatoes
- Sprinkle of smoked paprika
Method
1. With a fork, separate the tuna into smaller flakes, add the chopped red onion, Parmesan, and mayo-pesto combo, and mix.
2. Add the chilli flakes, lemon juice and sea salt.
3. Fry the capers in the olive oil and add to the tuna. Refrigerate.
4. Slice the buns in half and toast lightly on a pan. Spread a thin layer of butter on the bread, then slather heavily with pesto on both halves.
5. Add the arugula, then make a layer of sliced cucumber and mozzarella, then spoon on the tuna in a thick layer and finish with a layer of sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle of smoked paprika. Cover with the top of the bun.
Chef’s tips
If you’re not eating the sandwiches immediately, tie them in parchment paper and kitchen string to keep them in situ, then allow them to sit overnight in the fridge for the flavours to meld together and get more delicious.
Tuna pasta salad
Serves 2
Shockingly easy to throw together and even easier to devour, the lightness of this version of a tuna pasta salad comes down to the inclusion of yoghurt with mayonnaise. Together with the vegetable, this makes a wonderful summer lunch.
Ingredients
- 185g canned tuna
- 4 tbsp low-fat mayo + 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard, mixed
- 10-15 capers, chopped
- ¼ cup celery, diced small
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 160g conchiglie pasta, cooked as per packet, then drained and drizzled with olive oil
- Sea salt + freshly crushed pepper
- 1 green chilli, optional
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt + 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, mixed
- ¼ tsp virgin olive oil, if needed
- 1/3 cup spinach, wilted in olive oil
- 1 avocado
- 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup spring onions
- Sprinkle of smoked paprika
Method
1. With a fork, separate the tuna into smaller flakes, add the mayo-mustard combo and mix. Add the capers, celery, a squeeze of lemon juice and the pasta. Mix, then season with salt, pepper and chilli. Next add the yoghurt-mustard combo. If the whole mix is too thick, thin it out with the virgin olive oil.
2. Add the wilted spinach and the avocado. Add the tomatoes, as well as half the spring onions. Taste and adjust the seasoning or lemon juice.
3. Pile on to a serving plate, place any leftover cherry tomatoes, then garnish with the spring onions. Sprinkle paprika as per your liking.
Chef’s tips
This salad can stay in the fridge for up to three days. You can switch out the conchiglie for any small pasta, such as penne or fusilli. Whole-wheat pasta works too. Bulk up the dish for a party with some boiled potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese and jalapenos, and garnish with parsley.
Spiced tuna & pumpkin patties
Makes 12-14
It's impossible to eat only one when a crisp patty comes filled with tuna, pumpkin and potatoes tempered with spices and a burst of fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 130g canned tuna, drained
- 1½ cup mashed potatoes, plain
- 1 tbsp red onion, optional
- ½ cup roast Muscade pumpkin, mashed
- ¼ cup spinach, wilted in oil and chopped
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds, toasted
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 green chilli, chopped fine
- ½ inch ginger, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 egg
- Oil for frying
- Breadcrumbs to coat mixed with 1 tbsp semolina
- ¼ cup coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
Method
1. In a large bowl, using a fork, flake the tuna well, add the mashed potato, red onion (if using) and pumpkin, and mix. Add the spinach, fennel seeds, garam masala, green chilli, ginger and salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then add the lemon zest and juice as desired.
2. Whisk the egg, then add in increments so as to get the mix to bind. It should be moist but not wet. Form into 12-14 patties and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
3. In a large pan, heat the oil to shallow-fry the patties. Prepare the breadcrumbs with the semolina, for the perfect crunch and colour. Coat each patty and fry on a medium flame until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot, with lemon wedges.
Chef’s tips
The patties can be frozen then defrosted in the fridge overnight. You can also substitute the pumpkin with sweet potato. The patties go well with dal and rice, in sandwiches or by themselves with tartar sauce.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Mane 51', Salah 53'
Chelsea 0
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The%20Woman%20King%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gina%20Prince-Bythewood%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Thuso%20Mbedu%2C%20Sheila%20Atim%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20John%20Boyega%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)
Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)
Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)
Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)
Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)
Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)
Eibar v Alaves (7pm)
Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)
TOUR DE FRANCE INFO
Dates: July 1-23
Distance: 3,540km
Stages: 21
Number of teams: 22
Number of riders: 198
INDIA%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3ERohit%20Sharma%20(capt)%2C%20Shubman%20Gill%2C%20Cheteshwar%20Pujara%2C%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20Ajinkya%20Rahane%2C%20KL%20Rahul%2C%20KS%20Bharat%20(wk)%2C%20Ravichandran%20Ashwin%2C%20Ravindra%20Jadeja%2C%20Axar%20Patel%2C%20Shardul%20Thakur%2C%20Mohammed%20Shami%2C%20Mohammed%20Siraj%2C%20Umesh%20Yadav%2C%20Jaydev%20Unadkat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TCL INFO
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
When December 14-17
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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
