Photo essay: Chefs in the UAE cook up a storm for Veganuary

Every January, restaurants across the UAE add plant-based dishes to their menus as they tap into a global trend called Veganuary.

The annual challenge, which began in 2014, is run by a UK non-profit that encourages people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the first month of the year, with an increasing number of participants each year. In 2023, 706,965 people around the world signed up to take part.

In Dubai, veganism has been a trend for a few years and many restaurants already have creative options for guests eschewing animal products. Bounty Beets at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, for example, has created taco shells made of courgettes filled with a lentil and walnut meat.

Photo essay: Extreme off-roading in the UAE

The Strand Craft Kitchen, at Palm Views West on Palm Jumeirah, has a meatloaf made from Impossible Beef, while Drip Burger in Arjan forgoes meat substitutes in its vegan burger for a crumbed sweet potato mash and chickpea patty that's covered in homemade ketchup and tahini sauce with lettuce and tomato all piled on a dairy-free bun.

For dessert, Angel Cakes on Bluewaters Island, which is co-owned by vegan chef Alina Tutkova, has a doughnut with peanut praline that's not only dairy and egg-free, but also without sugar and gluten.

At Punjab Grill, which as outlets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, executive chef Sandeep Ali has created a special menu that includes a particularly innovative vegan kebab, called jimikand ka seekh, made of elephant foot yam. Other highlights include a banana stem salad, masala pumpkin fried idli, tofu tikka masala and an all-spice carrot cake crumble with coconut ice cream and orange butterscotch.

"We have combined traditional Indian techniques with superfoods, offering health benefits and a departure from conventional Indian dishes," says Ali. "Join us in simplifying the enjoyment of delectable plant-based meals, transcending borders and culinary norms."

The specs

Price, base: Dh228,000 / Dh232,000 (est)
Engine: 5.7-litre Hemi V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 552Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.5L / 100km

Electric scooters: some rules to remember

Riders must be 14-years-old or over
Wear a protective helmet
Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
Do not drive outside designated lanes

Titanium Escrow profile

Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE