Nourish by Spinneys: January/February 2024

PLUS 2024 TOP TRENDS

KNOW YOUR JAPANESE TEAS

FIND HAPPINESS IN BHUTAN

FUNGI F O R WA R D Mushrooms are having their moment

WIN

A 3-night stay for 2 in The Maldives

Liquid gold Our guide to olive oil

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2024 DHS 10 (inclusive of VAT)

Eat well

LIVE WELL 57 NUTRITIOUS AND WHOLESOME RECIPES

IN SWIT ZERLAND, WE DON'T SAY CHOCOLATE .

WE SAY FRE Y. SW I S S TAST E I N E VE RY P I EC E .

EDITOR’S LETTER

THIS MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY

CEO SUNIL KUMAR GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMERCIAL TOM HARVEY GENERAL MANAGER OF MARKETING WARWICK GIRD C R E AT I V E A N D C O N T E N T D I R E C T O R TIFFANY ESLICK tiffany.e@finefarefood.com DEPUTY CONTENT EDITOR KAREN D’SOUZA DESIGNERS COLEEN ESTOQUE, EMILY EVANS & FRANCIS GACER D I G I TA L M A R K E T I N G M A N A G E R ANKIET GULABANI D I G I TA L C O N T E N T M A N A G E R LYNN SOUBRA SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER RASHA EL SALEH P R O D U C T & C A M PA I G N M A N A G E R CHEENA DUDEJA C O N T E N T A S S I S TA N T DIANNA ACIBAR

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appy New Year! We’re looking forward to what 2024 has in store.

What we know for sure is that several food trends are in full swing… precision fermentation is the new biotechnical buzzword; mushrooms are really having their ‘moment’ – especially when it comes to clean caffeine: think infusions of lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms; more high-tech food trucks will be a major sector of service industries; certain items such as flax seeds, broccoli, avocado and spinach will be especially helpful in terms of improving hormone dysregulation; Italian cuisine will become even MORE popular than ever before; buckwheat – a healthy, gluten-free and protein-rich seed is set to be widely consumed in an ever-broader range of products than just soba noodles; and a gender shift will see female connoisseurs rise in the food and beverage industry – be it in kitchen positions, bartending, restaurant-owning or innovative start-ups… We’ve covered all the above in detail in this issue, plus so much more.

Additional highlights include our Meet the Producers feature with our Greek yoghurt partners; an assortment of vegan and vegetarian recipes; our extensive guide to olive oil, interviews with chef Rahul Rana from Michelin-starred Avatara and cookbook author Dina Macki; romantic recipes for Valentine’s Day; a culinary adventure in the Maldives; and how to find happiness in Bhutan.

CONTRIBUTORS ZAHRA ABDALLA, KATELYN ALLEGRA, MICHELLE CLEMENTS, DEVINA DIVECHA, HELEN FARMER, CAMILLA HYLLEBERG, AASIYA JAGADEESH, STEPHEN PHELAN, LINDSAY TRIVERS & CASSANDRA UPTON

PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF SPINNEYS DUBAI LLC BY

© 2024 SPINNEYS DUBAI LLC

Spinneys Dubai LLC and the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, howsoever caused. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without written permission.

Happy reading and cooking! by

Until next time

Nourish by Spinneys brings you engaging conversations, fresh ideas and hopefully the inspiration to help you eat and live well.

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Anghami.

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Recipe features 20

Regulars

British-born Omani-Zanzibari chef (and SpinneysFOOD Brand Ambassador) Dina Macki talks about her new cookbook, Bahari – Recipes from an Omani Kitchen

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7 OF A KIND

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Protein bars

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IN SEASON 27

A VEGETARIAN SYMPHONY Michelin-star restaurant Avatara has redefined fine dining with the all-vegetarian 16-course tasting menu. Its executive chef Rahul Rana dishes out the details of the menu and the brand’s expansion plans

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As AI technology comes to define our hopes and fears for the future, learning machines are already transforming every aspect of the food industry

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Whip up quick and delicious weeknight meals with our SpinneysFOOD frozen ranges

SOOTHING SOUPS Loaded with the goodness of veggies, these heart-warming vegan soups are exactly what you need for comfort

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VEGAN SANDWICHES Colourful veggies, flavourful sauces and meaty mushrooms come together to create these sandwiches, which make the perfect anytime meal

A FRESH START Zahra Abdalla developed her recipe for this roasted vegetable bowl – inspired by Moroccan flavours – when her husband was on a vegan diet

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LIQUID GOLD Discover the varieties and their culinary uses in this handy guide to olive oil

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ON THE CLOCK

MINDFUL MANNA Mix and match ingredients to prepare meals that are not only delicious but also packed with gut-friendly and immuneboosting benefits

Make the most of our asparagus, apricots, cauliflower, kale, cherries and apples

Much of the Greek yoghurt now sold around the world – including here at Spinneys – comes from the hard work of the Chatzakos family, whose skill and dedication have endured for generations

MIGHTY MUSHROOMS The spotlight is firmly on these edible fungi, with their versatile and rich flavours able to elevate a variety of culinary creations

MEET THE PRODUCERS

TOP TRENDS 2024

AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE

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A look at the latest happenings from the food world, from buckwheat, whole cacao, female connoisseurs and more

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READ, WATCH, LISTEN Cookbook, podcast and streaming recommendations

DRINKS RESTAURANT ROUND-UP We make our way to the city’s newest restaurants that you should definitely keep an eye on

USE IT UP

POWER OF PLANTS

Don’t discard leftover vegetables, bread and fruit. Use them to make these delicious snacks and a drink

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MAKING WAVES

VALENTINE’S DAY Surprise your better half with a ‘romantic’ starter, main and desserts inspired by social media trends and folklore

112 HAPPINESS AT NEW HEIGHTS Tiffany Eslick’s Bhutan exploration with COMO Hotels reveals a distinctive destination where warm locals cherish a deliberate pace, protect their heritage, respect nature and embody a profound understanding of joy

118 REVOLUTIONISING HEALTHCARE Co-founder of diabetes management centre Glucare, Ali Hashemi, talks about the path towards metabolic health

120 YOUR LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF HAPPINESS From free fun to the best experts in town, Helen Farmer has some contacts for your speed dial

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106 CULINARY CHEMISTRY Maher El Tabchy is the founder of Dubai’s fermentation hotspot, Tabchilli; he’s eager to share his knowledge about the natural process and champions a return to savouring food, slowly

108 ISLAND BITES On a recent trip to Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa, Karen D’Souza experienced the resort’s culinary season, which included a 5-course dinner by an award-winning visiting chef, a picnic on a private island and a party to celebrate the endless Maldivian summer

LITTLE COOKS 97 Easy bean and Harvest Hero vegetable

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recipes for plant-based, protein-packed kids’ meals

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Live well 104 FROM LEAF TO CUP...

Founder of Dubai-based Ikigaicha Japanese tea & food boutique, Viktoryia Toma, unlocks the secrets of Japanese teas and shares insights into the world of sencha, matcha and more…

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SUMAC PICKLED CHERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES WITH BURRATA PAGE 33.

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The cut Food, restaurant and product news that we think is worthy of being on the list!

Raspberry and lime punch

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ETAT H EWCEULTL

7 of a kind A round-up of our favourite protein and energy bars in store

NATURAL BALANCE Creamy white chocolate and salty peanuts are the perfect match in this Misfits White Choc Salted Peanut protein bar. With less than 3g of sugar per bar, this is a treat worth eating to satisfy those mid-afternoon cravings.

CLASSIC COMBO You can’t go wrong with chocolate and coconut.

Warrior Crunch has combined these two delicious ingredients to create a low-carb, high protein bar to add more protein to your diet every day.

POWER PLAYER Gooey caramel, smooth milk chocolate, crispy bits and a protein-rich dough base make Grenade Caramel Chaos a delicous post workout treat that’s packed with 21g of protein and only 1½g of sugar.

DOUBLE TROUBLE Barebells Hazelnut & Nougat protein bar could very well be mistaken for a dessert but this tasty snack has no added sugar and 20g of protein.

DUAL BENEFITS With only 198kcal per serving, FULFIL White Chocolate & Cookie Dough bar is not only a good source of protein, it also contains 9 vitamins.

BLENDED, NOT BAKED SISTER ACT Two sisters are the brains behind Squirrel Sisters energy bars. All their bars including the Cacao Brownie are sweetened with natural ingredients such as dates.

They’re also vegan and gluten-free.

The next time you reach for a cookie, opt for a PROBAR Cookie Dough bar instead.

Packed with B vitamins and electrolytes, this bar is also gluten- and GMO-free and completely plant-based.

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Simple, Simple, Pure & Natural Natural

FREE FREE FROM FROMARTIFICIAL ARTIFICIALSWEETENERS SWEETENERS FREE FREE FROM FROMPRESERVATIVES PRESERVATIVES NEVER NEVER FROM FROMCONCENTRATE CONCENTRATE

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RASPBERRY AND LIME PUNCH Prep time: 30 minutes

DRINK UP

Serves: 8

VEGAN For the lime leaf syrup

Start the year with a refreshing concoction

15 fresh lime leaves 330g cane sugar 375ml boiling water For the punch 750ml SpinneysFOOD Sparkling Rosé Grape Juice with Raspberries 750ml Perrier Sparkling Water 250ml fresh lime juice (approx. 8 limes) 375ml lime leaf syrup 2 limes 125g Driscoll’s Raspberries 5 fresh lime leaves SpinneysFOOD Ice Ice Baby Ice Balls To serve SpinneysFOOD Ice Cubes

Raspberry and lime punch

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1 To make the syrup, place the lime leaves and sugar in a heat-proof bowl.

Muddle until the leaves are thoroughly bruised. Pour in the boiling water. Stir to dissolve sugar. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Once cool, strain and refrigerate the syrup until ready to use.

2 In a punch bowl or large jug, add the sparkling rosé, sparkling water, fresh lime juice and lime leaf syrup. Be gentle when adding ingredients to preserve the drink’s carbonation. 3 Slice the limes and add to the bowl along with the raspberries, lime leaves and add as many ice balls as required to fill the punch bowl. Gently stir to distribute the fruit, lime leaves and ice through the punch. 4 Pour into glasses filled with cubes and serve.

Tips from The Tasting Class The UAE’s sunny winter days are the perfect time for free-flowing drinks. Time to dig out (or invest in) a punch bowl. Punches became the ultimate European party libation in the 17th century when British expats working at the British East India Company brought it home from the Indian subcontinent.

The word ‘punch’ is derived from the Hindi word ‘panch’, meaning five, referencing the five ingredients that traditionally go in a punch: spirit, water, citrus juice, sugar and spices. While the elaborate punch bowls that graced aristocratic tables in the 18th century are not used as widely today, punches remain a staple of any great bartender’s repertoire. They are also an impressive yet easy drink to serve the masses when hosting at home.

3 to try BIOTIFUL KEFIR CHERRY An award-winning cultured milk drink, Biotiful kefir cherry contains added vitamins and calcium to aid gut health. biotifulguthealth.com LIFEWAY POMEGR ANATE KEFIR One of Lifeway’s most popular kefir flavours, this low-fat drink is 99 per cent lactose-free and made with all-natural, GMO-free ingredients. lifewaykefir.com BAL ADÉ CULTURED MILK KEFIR Made with full-fat pasteurised cow’s milk, this probiotic-packed drink is gluten- and preservative-free. baladefarms.com

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New in the ‘hood’ Explore the latest restaurants to hit the city’s streets – from Mediterranean to Italian to Korean – where the latest trends and flavours can be found while still staying true to the cuisines’ roots

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Papas has opened doors in InterContinental Dubai Marina; DUO Gastrobar’s young cabbage with black truf fle is a must-tr y dish; Italian flavours are showcased at Papas Dubai; the kimchi pancake at GIMI is moreish; the interiors of GIMI are inspired by A sian culture.

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The team behind vibrant eateries such as Asia Asia, Lock, Stock & Barrel and more – Solutions Leisure – has opened Italian concept Papas at the InterContinental Dubai Marina (in the space formerly occupied

by Marina Social). Diners will immediately feel like they have been transported to Italy with the stunning interior design, inspired by a classic trattoria with a Fiat waiting at the entrance to whisk you off on your Italian adventure. The outdoor seating is the perfect spot to overlook the glittering Dubai Marina with arches,

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stunning fountains and bright colours adding to the ambiance. On the Taste of Italy menu, the inclusion of hazelnuts in the bluefin tartare is a welcome textural surprise for the palate, while the burrata delivers on the expected classic flavours. The tartufo & funghi pizza uses the smoked scarmoza to full effect paired with meaty mushrooms – you can catch a hungerinducing whiff of the mushroom, cheese and truffle from tables away. And when it comes to dessert, while the pistachio tiramisu is a clever take on a classic, the Sicilian cannoli should be on your list of must-try dishes.

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Korean food is finding even firmer footing in the minds of the UAE’s foodie crowd, and it’s in this welcoming environment that GIMI opened its doors within Al Wasl Vita Mall to showcase Korean and Southeast Asian flavours. With dark and woody interiors and sleek flooring, it’s a cool space where you will

even spot Funko figurines of the K-pop band BTS welcoming you into the venue. The menu is an amalgamation of K-pop and hawker culture plus a dash of tradition. It’s an easy sharingstyle concept where the kimchi pancake is a winner, paired with jangajji (Korean pickled vegetables sauce) and ssamjang (a thick chilli paste). The Korean fried chicken is tender and mildly spicy, with the menu declaring it ‘swicy’, one of the more recent trends in the world of food. The Korean-style short ribs was a stand-out dish with thinly sliced morsels of meat tearing apart easily and melting in your mouth.

The umami was strong with this one.

Writ ten by Dev ina Divecha ; Photography Dev ina Divecha & Supplied

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A serene space within the now buzzing block of restaurants that make up Dubai Hills Business Park, DUO Gastrobar is worth a trip. Dmitry Blinov and Renat Malikov are the duo (pun not intended) behind this concept that aims to tantalise your tastebuds.

As you settle into the space with neutral palettes and sleek designs, the open kitchen where the team moves silently to the beat of their head chef is a sight to behold. The yellowtail ceviche with horseradish and black truffle is a signature dish and it’s easy to see why – a refreshing burst of flavours erupts in your mouth with every bite. The tuna ceviche with cucumber and cilantro is another signature, and we’re told the recipe has stayed true to its 2014 iteration. The young cabbage with black truffle is a revelation; perhaps considered a stodgy or boring vegetable, the cabbage is elevated beautifully and is tender and moreish.

We loved the tender and high quality beef cheeks for a main with a creamy potato gratin complementing it. Leave place for dessert: the passion fruit with gorgonzola was a pleasant surprise (as long as you like blue cheese!).

THIS PAGE, CLOCK WISE FROM TOP LEF T: Rahul Rana; Kadalika (banana) – raw banana chaat, avocado chutney, khakra; Badak (vada) – dal vada, beetroot kanji, black lemon; Grinjanah (turnip) – rajma gogji, amaranth katlam, apple chutney.

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A vegetarian symphony Michelin-star restaurant Avatara has redefined fine dining with the all-vegetarian, 16-course tasting menu. Its executive chef Rahul Rana dishes out the details of the menu and the brand’s expansion plans

Writ ten by Dev ina Divecha ; Photography by Supplied

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n unassuming culinary gem in the heart of Dubai, Avatara is a vegetarian haven created and curated by its executive chef, Rahul Rana. The concept was a bold one when it launched and raised a few curious eyebrows: an all-vegetarian degustation menu? But then again, what else could we expect from Passion F&B, the founders of the likes of Trèsind Studio and Carnival by Trèsind?

Rahul is not only the culinary maestro behind Avatara but also the executive pastry chef for all of Passion F&B’s brands. He’s a busy chef but his work has paid off. In 2023, Avatara – merely a year old at this point – was awarded one Michelin star. And just after the summer, Avatara moved to a new location in Dubai Hills, after its start in the space previously occupied by sister restaurant Trèsind Studio in Voco Dubai.

From specialising in pastries to pioneering a new vegetarian concept, Rahul’s journey in the culinary world has been an exciting one.

“I started my culinary journey in India and worked in a resort in the Himalayas known for its Ayurvedic principles, where I was in the pastry team. However, I never restricted myself,” says Rahul. He explored a variety of cuisines including European and Indian cuisines, all of which allowed him to evolve to his position today.

The creation of Avatara came about during his tenure at Trèsind Studio in 2019, inspired by a shared desire with the brand’s chef, Himanshu Saini, to create an entirely vegetarian menu. He reveals, “We created a menu at Trèsind Studio called ‘Shashya’, which translates to ‘plants’ or ‘vegetables’ in Sanskrit. It was 70 per cent plant based.” Rahul adds, “When both Himanshu and I discussed it, we thought, why don’t we create an entirely vegetarian menu? Himanshu suggested an entirely new restaurant for this

concept and our owner, Mr. Bhupender Nath, was supportive.” At the time, the plan was to open this new concept in 2020. But it was only after Trèsind Studio was slated to move to its current location on the Palm Jumeirah, that Avatara finally found a space and opened in March 2022.

In addition to serving only vegetarian food, Avatara is an unconventional Indian restaurant in that it doesn’t use staples such as onion or garlic.

Rahul comments, “I felt that the onion and garlic was overpowering the vegetables, but removing it was a big deal because these are staple ingredients in Indian cuisine. But doing so gave us a positive response, and it allowed the flavour of the vegetables to be the real hero.”

In another unusual step, there is also no mushroom or paneer – both usual suspects on an Indian restaurant’s menu – within Avatara’s repertoire. Instead, the team has chosen to highlight unpopular or relatively unknown vegetables, such as bitter gourd, okra or jackfruit. “Before we launched the second menu in August 2022, I asked the team to tell me what vegetables they didn’t like. Based on that, we took on the challenge and created a new menu,” says Rahul.

The conversation veers to the accolades that signify Avatara’s success – including its Michelin star recognition.

“Of course, we have been getting a lot more recognition since being awarded a Michelin star, but I don’t feel the pressure. When we opened Avatara, the aim was to serve our guests with all our heart. And that’s what we are still doing today,” the chef says.

“However, the most important thing for me is that one of my team received the Michelin Young Chef Award – Omkar Walve. The inspectors noticing his work and how he takes care of the guests, whether I am in the restaurant or not, is huge praise. I feel amazing because of his recognition,” adds Rahul. It’s clear that even with all the awards, Rahul remains grounded and acknowledges the achievements of his team, which has grown from seven to 25.

Avatara’s expansion as a team and as a venue is just the beginning; Rahul reveals that there’s more on the cards. “The big news is that Avatara is opening in Mumbai and will be a bigger space than the Dubai venue,” says Rahul.

He says the plan is to open between the end of December 2023 and the beginning of January 2024. “It’s a busy time for us because our company has eight restaurants in Dubai and one in Mumbai. In addition to Avatara in Mumbai, we are also opening Carnival by Trèsind in Mumbai and Goa,” he adds. There’s a lot on Rahul’s plate, he admits, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

I N A D D I T I O N T O S E RV I N G O N LY V E G E TA R I A N F O O D , AVATA R A I S A N U N C O N V E N T I O N A L I N D I A N R E S TA U R A N T I N T H AT I T D O E S N ’ T U S E S TA P L E S S U C H A S O N I O N O R G A R L I C .

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Top trends 2024 A look at the latest happenings from the food world

2 BUCKWHEAT The Japanese in particular have made buckwheat an integral part of their diet over many centuries – growing that soil-friendly cover crop across the cool, moist reaches of the country and consuming vast quantities as the traditional core ingredient of soba noodles. And while soba is popular enough around the world these days, Whole Foods’ annual trend forecast sees that naturally healthy, gluten-free and protein-rich seed being more widely consumed in an ever-broader range of products next year, especially in granola mixes and plant-based milk alternatives.

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WAT E R stewardship

Generally the most overlooked element in food production, fresh water is becoming acutely scarce in many parts, even while agriculture accounts for about 70 per cent of withdrawals. The United Nations’ marked World Food Day in 2023 with the theme, Water Is Life, Water Is Food… and sustainable management of the global supply is likely to become one of the most urgent trends of next year and beyond. Leading bottled water brands have already begun drawing from alternative sources – from plant by-products like carrots, for example, and even from humidity in the air, as harvested and filtered by the Hawa company here in the UAE.

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P R O P E R LY P L A N TBASED Whole Foods has also anticipated an imminent back-to-basics moment in plantbased eating, as consumers demand vegan and vegetarian burgers made from actual vegetables. Naturally grown pulses, nuts and seeds are now generally preferred for their taste, texture and health-giving properties, especially as various studies have shown that many commonly used substitutes for animal products have proven no better for the body than the real meat and dairy they’re supposed to replace (and sometimes worse).

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Hormonehealthy eating

As particular hormones become better understood, medical science has also improved its mitigation strategies for related bodily changes – especially those that come with pregnancy or menopause. Diet is a vital element of most treatment plans, and women’s health is now a particular growth area of the food industry. Certain items such as flax seeds, broccoli, avocado and spinach are identified as especially helpful in terms of improving hormone dysregulation, while studies have demonstrated the pre and post-natal health benefits of certified multivitamin supplements.

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HIGH-TECH FOOD TRUCKS

The last decade or so has seen food trucks develop from a fashionable fringe interest to a major sector of the service industry, with artisanal tacos, Cuban sandwiches and other signifiers of traditional street-food culture made to ever higher gastronomic standards (and price points). The latest advance in that scene has been signalled by truck owners’ quickness to adopt tech-integrated ordering, nifty location apps and new point-of-sale systems such as Toast or TouchBistro, which can customise menus, simplify billing and personalise the whole customer experience.

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C O M PL E X

heat

Hot sauces have always been popular but these are set to have their own renaissance in 2024. Think higher Scoville ratings and craft sauces made in-house by chefs at their restaurants.

CLEAN CAFFEINE

Coffee is not getting any less essential to the morning routines of the multitudes, but that wake-meup effect tends to be followed by a nervous agitation and a subsequent crash that most of us can do without.

Considerable thought and investment is now going into smoothing out the physiological downside of caffeine.

Four Sigmatic’s Think Organic Coffee, for example, promises to sustain the energy boost and enhance your mental focus with a gentle infusion of lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms, while Nurange produce a canned cold brew enhanced with the amino acid L-theanine that also takes the edge off the jitters.

Photography @touch _bistro, @annesophiepic, @bluestripescacao & Shut terstock.com

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WHOLE CACAO

An ever-larger quotient of the chocolate-eating demographic has steadily weaned itself off milk as a key ingredient, pushing up the cocoa content by contrast, until a new market opened for what is essentially a different product: whole cocoa bars are now the latest thing. Popular brands like Blue Stripes claim their bars are not really ‘chocolate’ at all, but nourishing natural treats derived from the superfruit that is cocoa itself, which mixes superbly well with coconut, hazelnut butter and cold brew coffee to round out their range. Consider also the recent fashion for using whole beans, nibs, or seeds for cacao water and overnight oats.

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R E G E N E R AT I V E PRACTICE

‘Agroecological farming’ has been identified as a related trend for 2024 – an increasingly popular movement focused on regional conditions, traditions and knowledge bases built up over centuries among native growers.

P R E C I S I O N F E R M E N TAT I O N

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ITALIANISSIMO

As the global restaurant business returned to pre-pandemic levels, Italian cuisine marked a significant growth, now accounting for 19 per cent (and 228 billion Euros) of the traditional restaurant market. Deloitte’s Foodservice Market Report 2023 identifies the popular perception of Italian cooking as especially reliable for its quality-to-price ratio, its staple dishes offering homestyle comfort food in times of conflict and instability.

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FEMALE CONNOISSEURS

The above term was coined by food trend researcher Hanni Rützler in 2018, referring to the rise of women within the traditionally male-dominated field of gastronomy. Men will hold more of the Michelin stars for many years yet, but the cases of triple-starred Dominique Crenn, or Ann-Sophie Pic are becoming steadily less exceptional. As we enter 2024, Rützler notes that “the subtle traces of the gender shift in the food and beverage industry have expanded into increasingly broader tracks”. So we’re not just talking about kitchen positions but bartending, restaurant-owning, innovative start-ups…

This may well be the new biotechnical buzzword that defines the future of food production – the process by which proteins, enzymes and various other compounds are replicated by inserting select genes directly into the DNA of certain microorganisms. In theory this cuts out the need for traditional farming by synthesising, say, dairy-free cheeses and sustainable meat substitutes that are even more environmentally friendly than plant-based alternatives. In practice, this tech is set to ramp up in 2024 as more and more precision-fermented products pass through the various stages of testing and regulation.

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for the people

A s AI t e c hn o l o g y c o m e s t o d efine o ur h o p e s and f e ars f or t he f ut ure, le ar ning m a c hine s are alre a d y t ransf or ming eve r y asp e c t of t he f o o d indust r y

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Writ ten by Stephen Phelan ; Photography Shut terstock.com

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ll around the world, we’re already eating like people of the future. To begin close to home in Dubai, at the techsavvy pizza chain Dodo, chef Spartak Arutyunyan recently tasked ChatGPT to suggest a recipe that might appeal to customers of this city. The bot came up with a kofta-like topping in a sauce of tahini, sumac and za’atar, which proved tasty enough (with a few tweaks) to go on the menu.

Across town, the high-end Zenon Restaurant & Lounge now uses AI-powered Microsoft Kinect cameras to monitor the interior and feed those images back to the resident DJ, who then turns them into digital projections that interact with the music, enhancing the house aesthetic of ancient Greek myth meets hyper-modernity.

Meanwhile, more than 100 professional kitchens in the city have deployed systems like Winnow Vision to reduce wastage. Optical AI tracks each item that goes in the bin and makes corresponding adjustments to purchase orders and menu listings.

So far, this is saving the domestic food service industry about AED 10 million per year.

This is only scratching the surface of the estimated 1.7 billion tonnes of food that go to waste worldwide (according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization), but it’s a good start in addressing the problem. The same goes for every possible application of Artificial Intelligence to what and how we eat. As ubiquitous as it has come to feel lately, we’re still barely beginning to understand the potential of this tech.

Consumers might first need to distinguish the merely ‘futuristic’ from the real shape of things to come. So-called ‘smart’ restaurants of the sort that have recently opened from Tokyo to Barcelona – with sci-fi robot servers and tabletop digital tablets for fully automated ordering – are not necessarily attuned to popular demand.

“The opposite is proving to be true so far,” says Erich Eichsetter, a former head chef and designer who has come to specialise in food tech innovation at San Sebastian’s Digital Gastronomy Lab. In tracking worldwide trends, Erich has noted the relative failure of such business models, which don’t seem to grow beyond their initial novelty.

“These kinds of automated restaurants might be fun to go once, but people don’t really go back.

If I was to speculate how the future will be, I can see this kind of tech being used to optimise human interaction, not to get rid of it. We might see a robot running back and forth from the kitchen, bringing the food, opening the bottles and so on, while waiters as we know them become something more like hosts, or entertainers, or conversators.”

Generally speaking, the work of the Digital Gastronomy Lab is geared toward the service side of the industry, developing AI-based products or projects designed to save users time or money, “which amount to the same thing”. One example would be a tool for optimising inventory systems, by which chefs could issue voice commands to a stock-taking database.

“So instead of writing ‘12 one-litre bottles of olive oil’, you can just say it, and it goes direct

“WE IMAGINE A KIND OF FOOD PASSPORT, WITH YOUR INFORMATION SAFELY STORED ON IT, AND A SYSTEM THAT PROCESSES THIS DATA TO PERSONALISE RECIPES AND SO ON.” to the system.” Erich and his team won funding for their ‘proof of concept’ from the Basque Government, as part of an initiative to foster new ideas at the intersection of tech and food. The Basque Country is indeed home to one of the world’s great gastronomic cultures, but it does not automatically follow that creatives in the field are happy to embrace the latest labour-saving devices.

“In my experience, I’d say that managers are in favour, for sure. But operators, not so much. I think it has to do with chefs and cooks being artisans.

They work with their hands, and they want to feel empowered that a workspace is theirs and they don’t like being told what to do in it.”

As to the culinary art itself, Erich does not buy the argument that the machines will eventually crunch enough data to learn everything there is to know about food, and replace human experts.

“I always use the example of digital music,” he says. “There will always be place for orchestras playing classical pieces on traditional instruments.

But in reality, most players today are electronic musicians, just because it’s much more scaleable.

It doesn’t mean they are less creative, it’s just a different approach. And in food production, someone who uses hydroponics is not lesser than someone who grows the old-fashioned way.

Creativity is ubiquitous. There’s no constraint on it.”

Some of the most groundbreaking AI applications are being tested at the production side of the industry, where machine-learning extends to so-called ‘biohacking’. Certain algorithms, spliced with computational biophysics, can now generate novel proteins and enzymes, target and manipulate health-promoting genomic properties, and tailor specific ingredients around intolerances or allergies. Thus, you get successful start-ups such as Redbloom making a fiery hot sauce that doesn’t trigger IBS symptoms, for example. Or the Chilean company NotCo, now a market leader in synthesising vegan substitutes for popular animal products. “They apply AI to formulate, say, a vegan milk, with the same proteins and flavour compounds but without the animal fats,” explains Erich. “At a domestic level, you could use AI in this way to formulate a bread, and make it more fluffy or more crusty just by changing the parameters.”

At a corporate level, meanwhile, the sheer operating speed of this tech can cut months or even years off the long, expensive process of research and development for new food products.

Unilever created a low-salt bullion using AI to perform a complete flavour analysis in a matter of days, and Kraft applied Quantative Data Analysis to replicate an original tomato-based product with

94 per cent accuracy, factoring in sensory metrics like ‘mouthfeel’.

When it comes to the biggest challenges facing the food industry – namely, nourishing a planetary population of 8 billion and rising, even as climate change threatens crops and conflict disrupts supply chains – the hope must now be for these learning machines to ‘think’ equally big in terms of solutions. Erich says, “We are the most empowered generation in human history because we have the most information at our disposal. I lived in Bolivia for two years, and I met farmers using smartphones on remote mountains in the middle of nowhere. Whoever has the curiosity can plug into this information, and if knowledge is available to everyone, that might be only the thing that will help us.”

The information flows both ways, of course, and we are also the data. AI is already reading us by way of our social media accounts and online purchases, and facial recognition systems will soon be extracting our demographic details whenever we eat out. “Things like your age range, gender, whether you’re dining alone, at what time of day and so on,” says Erich. “These metrics can be incredibly effective for increasing sales.”

Tech that’s been standard for years in hotels and air travel will also dynamise restaurant pricing, so that popular items cost more at busy times, or dishes that are quicker and easier to prepare will appear first on digital menus.

The real trick, however, is what Erich calls “DNA personalisation”. “It’s still in early phase,” he says, but as an exercise in speculation his team has already published a report on The Restaurant of The Future. “We imagine a kind of food passport, with your information safely stored on it, and a system that processes this data to personalise recipes and so on.” Which is to say, a dining experience designed in real time according to your tastes and nutritional requirements. An experiment along these lines at the Harvard Innovation Lab presented a sensory survey instead of a menu, asking test “customers” about their preferences.

An AI algorithm then designed the menu accordingly and sent it to the lab kitchen. “The results showed that the survey group liked the food they were given, but they also tried things that they wouldn’t have otherwise.” This kind of interaction, says Erich, is likely to define your dining experience in years to come.

Eerie, presumptuous, or intrusive, perhaps. But also so finely calibrated to our wants and needs, our likes and dislikes, that we may well feel we’re being fully catered to for the first time in our lives.

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Making

waves 20

THE CUT

Tiffany Eslick speaks to British-born Omani-Zanzibari chef (and SpinneysFOOD Brand Ambassador) Dina Macki about about her new, first-of-its-kind cookbook.

Bahari – Recipes from an Omani Kitchen and Beyond was award winning before even going to print and it’s a wonderful ode toregional delicacies and food of the author’s heritage OPPOSITE PAGE: Banana, coconut and cardamom cake.

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Dina exploring; Mbatata za Urojo is a popular dish in Zanzibar; Dina Macki; Qantab coastal village in Oman; Samaki wa kupaka; woven Omani dining mats.

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You have a rich heritage and diverse background – please tell us more about this.

My mum’s immediate side of the family were all born in Zanzibar, but they also have Iranian and Omani heritage. My dad was born and bred in Muscat, but he has Bahraini and Iraqi ancestry, too. I was born in the UK. My grandparents and their community left Zanzibar in 1964 when it ceased to be part of Oman, and became part of Tanzania. They travelled to Portsmouth with the Sultan of Zanzibar and settled there. My grandmother Bibi says it reminded them of island life. I’m not sure why...

There are no palm trees, and no white sandy beaches! So that’s how I ended up growing up in Britain, but I also travelled back and forth to Oman to see my father’s family and the rest of my mother’s extended family.

What inspired you to write a cookbook? And when did this start?

The whole process has been wild. In 2020, I was listening to another cookbook author talk about how to get published. She made it seem so easy; dispelling ideas that one needs to be famous. I thought, ‘I can do this!’ I started by writing a proposal, but then I got stuck in Oman for six months because of Covid. I decided to use the time to travel around Oman as much possible and finish my proposal. So, I explored as much as I could each day (there was a curfew) and then I’d write at night. In

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Bahari is the Swahili word for ‘ocean’ and in Arabic it is ‘bahar’. So, I thought the title sums everything up well.

2021, I found a literary agent, who then spent a further nine months working on my proposal.

In August 2022, I got a deal, and since then it has been crazy.

Arabic it is ‘bahar’. So, I thought the title sums everything up well. It speaks to the history of Oman and Zanzibar, the importance of the ocean, as well as to my background.

You have more than 90 recipes in the book.

How did you select these? And did you have to test every single one from scratch?

While doing my proposal, I had already begun testing recipes. And because I’ve also posted a lot of recipes on Instagram – I had a solid base of around 40 recipes. For the rest, I had made most of them once or twice but the measurements were all over the show.

In January 2023, I decided I would test six recipes a day for 30 days and that was the only way to get through it. I moved into my grandmother’s one-bedroom flat, along with my mother, and we cooked constantly in her tiny kitchen. We did not like each other by the end of it!

Was it difficult choosing a cover image?

It was an insane process. I was adamant not to have food or faces on the cover; I love beautiful illustrations. After a lot of back and forth, and toward the end of putting the book together, I took a trip to Goa. And I know this going to sound like something out of a cliché movie, but I was standing on the beach, with my feet in the orange-coloured sand, looking at the Indian ocean when I thought, ‘this is it!’

I took a picture and sent it to my publisher.

The Portuguese sailed from Goa to Oman and settled in Muscat, but they also sailed that same sea to Zanzibar. Standing at the source of the ocean that has played such an important role in migration was apt – and my photo had to be the cover of the book.

How did you decide on Bahari as a title and what does it mean?

Bahari is the Swahili word for ‘ocean’ and in

How did you divide the book to ensure you captured everything?

THE CUT

I learnt a lot from my time cooking with a woman called auntie Fatima, who was actually born in a cave in Salalah in the mountains. She taught me about majin – a jerky-like dried beef which is rehydrated, cooked in its own fat then used in a sweet curry that’s eaten with rice and a lot of ghee. The beef itself is quite chewy, but it’s not an offensive chewiness. This is Salalah’s dish for Eid – and I love that they have their own thing.

When you were testing these more unknown dishes back in the UK – did you face challenges?

Yes, but I was determined to do them justice.

Some of them were so demanding. An example is a milky curry that must be made with fresh milk from a cow or camel – so it is thick and delicious. That is pretty difficult to find. So, it took ages playing with different milks and creams to reach the right consistency, texture and flavours. There were a few instances where I thought I wouldn’t be able to include certain recipes but then I powered through.

Photography cour tesy of Bahari: Recipes from an Omani Kitchen and Beyond by Dina Macki (DK) and Patricia Niven, 2024

THIS SPREAD, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Dina and her maternal grandmother, Bibi; spinach and coconut shakshuka; Dina among the palms at Birkat Al Mouz.

When we first did the chapters, I went for normal sections like Meat, Fish. Vegetables…

As I was writing the essays that are in the book, I thought none of this makes sense and boring categories don’t do the dishes justice. Bahari is about how the ocean allows us to travel and

GET YOUR COPY Pre-order Bahari – Recipes from an Omani Kitchen and Beyond by Dina Macki at uae.kinokuniya.com

migrate – and I needed to find a way to create a sense of place for regions, or countries that were part of what I was trying to convey. This resulted in the following final chapters: Muscat, Zanzibar, the Coast, the Interior and Portsmouth.

Muscat gets its own section as it held such importance at the time, and because there were so many dishes that I discovered which are unique to that city. Zanzibar is at the core of everything that I have been taught by my grandmother and her family. The coast reflects migration: India to Oman, and Oman to Zanzibar along the Swahili coast. The interior talks about my journey into Oman’s mountain ranges during Covid. Portsmouth includes recipes I enjoyed during childhood, as well as more experimental dishes from my present.

While travelling around Oman, did you come across unknown dishes? Or was there anything that really stood out for you?

Definitely, and the discoveries were astonishing.

Take shuwa, for example, which is considered to be the national dish of Oman. This is something that is meant to be eaten over Eid and it’s only common in certain parts of the country. In Salalah, they don’t eat it at all, for example. They have their own specialities there – and it’s like that across the country, as originally Oman was broken up into tribes which came from different areas.

Have you found that one cuisine has resonated more with you since doing the cookbook?

I think I’ve found a balance. Growing up, I was much closer to Zanzibari cuisine because that’s all we ate at home with my grandmother.

I learnt more about Omani food once my mum moved there, and after I started travelling there more often, but I always found different dishes being made and couldn’t understand the diversity. I feel like I have now have a real closeness to Omani food, one that is stronger than Omanis themselves because of what I have discovered. Everyone’s very divided because it’s such a big place and it has so much history.

I feel like I’m the only person who knows all the secret little details about its cuisine.

Any advice for aspiring cookbook authors?

Just don’t do it! Actually, do it, but know that it’s hard work and make sure you are truly invested in it. The book will become your life. Do your research, find a great agent and lean on your publishers for advice. They know what they’re doing. Most importantly, trust yourself.

SCAN TO FIND DINA’S RECIPES FROM THIS ARTICLE AND MORE

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THE CUT

Use it up Don’t discard leftover vegetables, bread and fruit. Use these ingredients to make a cottage pie, ice tea and a wholesome loaf

MUSHROOM COTTAGE PIE This vegetarian version of cottage pie uses up leftover mushrooms, potatoes, bread and cauliflower.

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 1 small brown or white onion 400g leftover mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, button etc.)

Mushroom cottage pie

1 small garlic clove 15g SpinneysFOOD Unsalted Butter SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme leaves Handful of fresh oregano 15g miso or Worcestershire sauce 235ml SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Milk 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 tbsp cold water 1 x 400g tin brown lentils For the topping 500g russet or yellow-fleshed potatoes 200g cauliflower 45g SpinneysFOOD Unsalted Butter 4 tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 60g leftover bread

1 Peel and finely chop the onion. Slice the mushrooms. Crush the garlic. 2 Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion with the salt and pepper until soft.

3 Meanwhile in a separate pan, heat the olive oil over a high heat then fry the mushrooms in batches until browned and caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the thyme, crushed garlic and oregano, and toss to coat. 4 Add the mushrooms to the onion mixture, and increase the heat to medium-high.

Add the miso and milk and bring to a simmer.

5 Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water, then add to the mushroom mixture, and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens. 6 Drain and rinse the lentils and stir into the mixture.

7 Transfer the mushroom mixture to a 23cm x

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USE IT UP

TOP TIP!

Apple peel ice tea

This apple peel ice tea recipe can also be made with pears and pineapple.

33cm baking dish and set aside. 8 Peel and cube the potatoes. Discard the leaves of the cauliflower and separate into florets. Boil the potatoes and cauliflower in a pot of salted water until very soft, approx. 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower and place in a large bowl. Add 30g of butter to the bowl and mash well. Stir in the crème fraîche and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 9 Preheat the oven to grill setting. 10 Spread the mash evenly over the surface of the mushroom mixture. Place the leftover bread in a blender and blitz to form breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the pie. Dot with the remaining butter. 11 Place the dish under the grill until bubbling and nicely browned.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes Serves: 6-8

VEGGIE

400g courgettes, marrows, or carrots (or a combination of them) 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Natural Sea Salt Flakes 75g green leaves (spinach, celery leaves, lettuce etc) 10g leftover wilted herbs 1 onion, leek, or spring onion 120g grated leftover or Cheddar cheese 210g SpinneysFOOD Greek Yoghurt 3 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs 100ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 300g SpinneysFOOD Self-Raising Flour 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Paprika

APPLE PEEL ICE TEA No-waste veggie drawer loaf

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Prep time: 5 minutes (plus 45 minutes standing time) Cook time: 20 minutes Makes: 1L

VEGAN Peels and cores from 5-6 apples 1L SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water 3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar Photography, recipes & food st yling by TheKateTin.com

1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick 2 rooibos tea bags

1 Place the peels and cores, water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a full boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. 2 Turn off the heat, add the cinnamon stick and rooibos tea bags, and allow it to sit for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 3 Strain the tea and refrigerate until chilled.

4 Serve with ice and sliced apple, if desired.

NO-WASTE VEGGIE DRAWER LOAF This loaf is an excellent way to use up all those odds and ends lurking in your vegetable drawer. Experiment using different spices such as za’atar, sumac or dukkah.

1 Grate the courgettes then place in a fine sieve.

Sprinkle over the salt flakes and toss. Allow to stand for 10 minutes then squeeze out excess liquid. 2 Fill a kettle with water and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, chop the green leaves then place in a sieve. Pour over the boiling water.

Immediately cool under cold running water.

Squeeze out excess water from greens. (If using frozen spinach, simply thaw, then squeeze out excess liquid.) 3 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line an 11cm x 21½cm loaf pan with baking paper, allowing an overhang on the long sides. 4 Place the courgette, blanched leaves, herbs, onion and cheese in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the yoghurt, eggs and oil and stir to combine. 5 Place the flour and paprika in a medium-sized bowl. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add to the courgette mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon into the tin. 6 Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes, then using the extra baking paper, lift out the loaf. 7 Serve warm.

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THE CUT

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS Cookbooks and a history of the plant-based movement

THE DOCTOR’S KITCHEN

F or t he exper im e nt e r VEG-TABLE by Nick Sharma Anyone who plans to eat more vegetables in 2024 should probably start the year with a copy of this new book by Nick Sharma. His reliable, personable prose guides you gently through 100-plus recipes based on common or garden ingredients like cabbage, and less familiar edible plants such as cactus, providing cultural and scientific context for each one. Lovely illustrations by artist Matteo Riva also work alongside Sharma’s own renowned food photography to make each page look like a frame from an especially beautiful movie.

Fo r t he hi st o r y bu f f NO MEAT REQUIRED by Alissa Kennedy This is not a cookbook, but a deep dive into the cultural history of plant-based eating. A New Yorker based in Puerto Rico, Kennedy had the advantage of access to tropical ingredients and island farming communities while writing, and vivid descriptions of banana flowers and passionfruit trees help illustrate her thoughtful survey of vegetarianism as a practice.

Her stance on the subject is more practical than ideological, and she makes a very solid case against the common arguments that plant-based eating is faddish, elitist, or too hard to make tasty.

F o r t h e n o -f u s s c o o k VEG FORWARD by Susan Spungen Having racked up decades of experience as a cook and caterer, food stylist and founding editor of Martha Stewart Living magazine, Susan Spungen is spectacularly overqualified to advise you on making the best of a few plant-based ingredients for a light summer lunch, or a hearty winter feast. However creatively conceived and artfully presented, the 102 recipes in this good-looking book also tend to be surprisingly easy to make, from asparagus pizza to chocolate zucchini bread and strawberry tartlets with goat cheese filling.

London-based medical doctor Rupy Aujla, founder of Culinary Medicine UK, has built a dedicated worldwide following by taking listeners clearly, simply and authoritatively through every conceivable aspect of healthy eating. From one episode to the next his subject might be the scientific benefits of organic food, or certain myths surrounding cranberries and feminine health, or the validity of common fears about using aluminium foil. You can also buy a supplementary Doctor’s Kitchen handbook, featuring maximally nutritious recipes. thedoctorskitchen.com/ podcasts

Since it premiered in 2019, this popular Irish series has become an essential visual aid to many viewers new to the challenges and pleasures of growing their own fruits and vegetables in suburban gardens or on small apartment balconies. Each episode takes a single crop – potatoes, carrots, beetroot, strawberries etc – and tracks the whole growing process from seed to plate.

Hosts Michael Kelly and Karen O’Donohoe add a lot of value with their easy charm and low-key know-how as they show you how it’s done at their ‘Grow HQ’ garden.

Amazon Prime, YouTube

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Writ ten by Stephen Phelan ; Photography Supplied

GROW, CO OK, EAT

In season Make the most of our asparagus, apricots, cauliflower, kale, cherries and apples

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Roasted asparagus salad

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IN SEASON

Asparagus ROASTED ASPARAGUS SALAD Plunging the just-boiled asparagus into iced water ensures they remain super crisp and bright green.

This hack works for other green vegetables, too.

oven to grill on high for 10-15 minutes, or until charred. 4 Zest and juice the lemon. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and seasoning. 5 Arrange the grilled asparagus on a serving platter. Drizzle the lemon dressing over the asparagus. 6 Crumble over the feta and scatter over the mint and pine nuts. 7 Serve the salad immediately.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

VEGGIE

Apricots

For the asparagus 50ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

FRESH APRICOT AND AUBERGINE PILAF

For the dressing

This pilaf, with its sweet-sour-spicy flavours, would

1 lemon

make a perfect side to barbecued lamb, chicken,

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

or fish.

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

Prep time: 15 minutes

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Cook time: 30 minutes

Recipes, food st yling and photography by TheKateTin.com

800g asparagus spears

Serves: 4

VEGAN

To serve 100g SpinneysFOOD Feta Cheese

250g basmati rice

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint

1 brown onion

100g pine nuts

2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Trim the tough ends of the asparagus spears (if there are any). 2 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of iced water at the same time. Blanch the asparagus spears in the boiling water for 2-5 minutes until just tender and then plunge into the iced water for 30 seconds. 3 Pat the asparagus dry. Toss the spears in the olive oil then place in the

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander

25g dried apricots 25g toasted slivered almonds 25g sultanas 4-6 fresh apricots 200g Renna grilled aubergines

1 Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Set aside. 2 Finely chop the onion.

Crush the garlic. 3 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and sauté until softened.

Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. 4 Add the rinsed basmati rice to the pan, stirring to coat the grains with the spices. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a low heat, cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Fluff the pilaf with a fork. 5 Chop the fresh coriander and dried apricots. Scatter both over the rice along with the slivered almonds and sultanas. 6 Spoon the pilaf onto a large platter.

Quarter the fresh apricots and place on top of the rice along with the aubergine.

C a u l i fl o w e r

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

CAULIFLOWER STEAK BURGERS WITH HERBY WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE

375ml vegetable stock Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

Customise your burgers with additional toppings such

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Cauliflower steak burgers with herby whipped goat cheese

30

Fresh apricot and aubergine pilaf

Kale and paneer stuffed flatbreads

31

Sumac-pickled cherries and strawberries with burrata

Healthy apple doughnut pancakes

32

IN SEASON

as avocado slices or pickled red cabbage for extra

50g kale

crunch and flavour.

1 small brown onion

Prep time: 15 minutes

2 garlic cloves 200g paneer

Cook time: 25 minutes Serves: 4

VEGGIE

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

sumac-pickled cherries and strawberries out of the refrigerator. Spoon them over and around the burrata, then drizzle over the olive oil.

Sprinkle over freshly ground black pepper, top with the microgreens and serve immediately.

Appl es

For cauliflower steaks

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander

1 large cauliflower head

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 tbsp smoked paprika

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

4 pita bread

HEALTHY APPLE DOUGHNUT PANCAKES

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste For herby whipped goat cheese 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley 1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill 1 lemon 150g goat cheese 2 tbsp sour cream, crème fraîche or cream cheese SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste To serve 4 whole-grain burger buns 1 red onion Handful of fresh rocket

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.

2 Trim the leaves off the cauliflower and slice it into four 2½cm-thick steaks. 3 In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Brush the cauliflower steaks with this mixture. 4 Place the ‘steaks’ on a roasting sheet and place it in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and tender.

5 Chop the herbs. Zest the lemon. 6 In a food processor or blender, combine the goat cheese, sour cream, chopped herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.

7 Slice the burger buns in half then lightly toast. Slice the onion. 8 Spread the whipped goat cheese on the buns. Top the bottom halves with rocket and onion slices, followed by the cauliflower steaks. Spoon a generous dollop of the herby whipped goat cheese over the steaks.

Place the top half of the buns over each stack, pressing down gently. 9 Serve the cauliflower steak burgers with any remaining herby whipped goat cheese on the side.

1 Finely chop the kale, onion and garlic.

Crumble the paneer. 2 Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened – approx. 5 minutes.

Add the paneer, cumin, coriander, red chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool. 3 Make a small opening on the top of each pita bread and open it up gently.

Spoon the filling into the pocket. Repeat with the remaining bread. 4 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat. 5 Place the stuffed flatbread in the pan and cook until both sides are golden brown, approx. 2-3 minutes per side. 6 Serve the kale and paneer stuffed flatbreads warm.

Cherries

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

VEGGIE

Serves: 4

VEGGIE

For the pancake batter 250ml vanilla Greek yoghurt 2 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar (or coconut sugar) 200g oat flour 40g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

1-2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Milk (or almond, oat or

SUMAC-PICKLED CHERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES WITH BURRATA

coconut milk) 4-6 apples SpinneysFOOD Unsalted Butter or coconut oil (for

Serve this dish with crusty bread or crackers for a

greasing the skillet)

fresh appetiser alongside grilled meats or fish.

Prep time: 15 minutes

To serve

Pickling time: 1 hour

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

Serves: 4

VEGGIE

For the pickled cherries and strawberries 130g cherries 160g strawberries 3 tbsp white grape vinegar 3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar 1 tsp sumac Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Microgreens

snack. Simply remove from the freezer and air fry.

Cook time: 20 minutes

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

freeze them in sandwich bags for a quick lunch or

Prep time: 20 minutes

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Prepare these stuffed flatbreads ahead of time and

in the kitchen.

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Bicarbonate of Soda

2 SpinneysFOOD Burrata in Brine

KALE AND PANEER STUFFED FLATBREADS

breakfast and a fun recipe to get the kids involved

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Baking Powder

To serve

Kale

These pancakes make a delicious weekend

1 Pit and halve the cherries. Hull and halve the strawberries. 2 In a bowl, combine white grape vinegar, sugar, sumac and salt flakes. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 3 Place the cherries and strawberries in a jar or bowl. Pour the pickling liquid over the fruit. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. 4 Arrange the burrata balls on a serving plate. Take the

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

1 Preheat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. 2 In a large bowl, mix together the Greek yoghurt, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the sugar, oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Whisk until completely combined. If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches a scoopable consistency.

3 Using an apple corer, core the apples then slice them into 1cm discs. 4 Grease a griddle or pan by melting butter on it and moving it around until the surface is coated. 5 Dip the apple slices into the batter, making sure they’re fully coated, then place in the hot pan. Cook until bubbles start forming in the batter and the sides become set (approx. 2-4 minutes).

Flip and cook for a further 2-4 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and cooked through. 6 Mix the sugar and cinnamon.

7 Coat the apple doughnut pancakes in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and serve immediately.

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M e e t t h e p ro d u c e r s Get to know the family behind our new, authentic SpinneysFOOD Greek Yoghurt

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Commitment to

culture

M uc h of t he G re e k yo ghur t n ow s o ld aro und t he wor ld – inc luding he re at S pinneys – c o m e s f ro m t he hard wor k of o ne f amil y, w h os e skill and d e dic atio n ha ve e ndure d f or g e ne ratio n

36

MEET THE PRODUCERS

T

he Chatzakos family were collecting and selling fresh milk in Eastern Thrace a couple of centuries ago. They came to Greece on boats as refugees in the 1920s, and soon went into the same trade, distributing to the suburbs of Thessaloniki while making yoghurt and rice pudding at their small dairy shop, or galaktopoleio, in the city centre.

Konstantin Chatzakos, then only a baby, grew up to consolidate all that knowledge into a company he called Mevgal in 1950. Almost 75 years later that modest post-war startup is now a major international brand, exporting premium-grade Greek yoghurt and feta cheese to more than 30 countries (though more than 50 per cent is packaged under different names for private labels).

We are proud to stock those products, and to work closely with the third generation of Chatzakos who now run the business – Konstantin’s daughter Mary still serves as president, while his grandson Kostas is now CEO, and granddaughter Mariana handles sales. “We love this company, and we want it to grow,” says Kostas.

“We feel a big responsibility toward all the people who work with us, some of whom are also second or third generation,” he says. Indeed, among the 300 farmers who now supply Mevgal, more than a few are direct descendants of those who first sold milk to grandfather Konstantin. For the purposes of Greek yoghurt, that essential raw material still comes from cows on the Macedonian pastures he specifically chose for the richness of the vegetation as well as proximity to Mevgal facilities – the shortest transportation times make for the freshest milk.

“It’s the best possible environment for livestock,” says Kostas, “and it puts us less than three hours from the furthest farmer. We collect the milk every morning, bring it to our plant in special tankers, then pasteurise and homogenise

OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP: Mevgal supplies us with our full-fat and fat-free authentic Greek yoghurt; sunrise at one of Mevgal’s partner dairy farms.

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Konstantin Chatzakos – CEO of Mevgal; the company works with select dair y farmers who put animal welfare first and feed their cows a nutrient-rich diet to ensure qualit y milk; some of Mevgal’s first employees.

“WE COLLECT THE MILK EVERY MORNING, BRING IT TO OUR PLANT IN SPECIAL TANKERS, THEN PASTEURISE AND HOMOGENISE TO STRICT HYGIENE STANDARDS, TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE NUTRIENTS AND TRACE ELEMENTS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE.. . ”

37

MEET THE PRODUCERS

“OUR YOGHURT IS JUST PERFECT... VERY RICH AND THICK WITH THAT DEEP, CREAMY FLAVOUR. THIS PRODUCT HAS EARNED THE ACCEPTANCE OF CONSUMERS AROUND THE WORLD, AND I THINK THE TASTE OF IT IS THE MAIN REASON.”

to strict hygiene standards, to ensure that all the nutrients and trace elements are as they should be.”

Samples are taken for vital analysis at each end of the supply line, he explains. Of the company’s 27 scientists, a vast majority work in quality assurance (the rest in research and development), performing some 1,200 laboratory checks every day. “The right texture and temperature are vital when you’re making yoghurt, because the cultures we add will remain alive through the whole process and then the entire shelf life of the product.”

It may seem obvious enough that such a huge operation has invested in new technology: livestock feeding units, isothermic truck containers, robotic pasteurisation and the latest automated logistics systems. Sustainability has become an imperative, too, especially at the backend where Mevgal has recently reduced the plastic in its packaging signifcantly.

“Of course we want to keep expanding our horizons with new innovations for groundbreaking quality products,” says Kostas. “But the process itself remains traditional.”

Some items in the range, like rice puddings, are still made to the recipes developed by his great-grandmother Domna in her dairy shop of 100 years ago, “and we will keep making them as long as we’re producing”. His own leadership is informed not only by his mother’s counsel and his sister’s invaluable assistance, but also his own memories of weekends and whole summers of his childhood spent following his grandfather’s example.

“He was an absolute workaholic, so we would come with him on Saturdays and Sundays and learn a lot from him.

I learned to drive here, and not just cars but machinery, and all the production lines. Now we do the same with my nephew and niece.”

38

What remains unchanged in all that time is the taste and texture of the authentic Greek yoghurt made at Mevgal.

“Our yoghurt is just perfect,” says Kostas. “Very rich and thick with that deep, creamy flavour. This product has earned the acceptance of consumers around the world, and I think the taste of it is the main reason.” The calorie content is more of a concern than it used to be, hence a wider choice of modern variations in the range – low-fat, glutenfree, enhanced protein, and any number of fruitier blends.

But the plain and original product is still a healthy option too, Kostas reminds us. “Classic Greek yoghurt is undoubtedly a staple of the Mediterranean diet, with proven benefits to human health,” he says. “It’s high in protein and calcium, and specifically contributes to preventing osteoporosis. It also strengthens gut health and the immune system through vitamin D3. Studies even show that it can help significantly with weight loss, too.”

SCAN FOR RECIPES Find all the recipes in this feature on spinneys.com

THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT: Spanikopita cigars with whipped feta and Greek yoghurt; a lot has changed at Mevgal over the years in terms of technology.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mevgal HQ; yiaourtopita (Greek citrus yoghurt cake with yoghurt frosting); Mevgal’s in-house scientists; the former Mevgal factor y; walnut granola with chocolate yoghurt and cherries; our new SpinneysFOOD Fat-Free and Full-Fat Greek yoghurts; use Greek yoghurt to make tzatziki, which is great as a sauce or a dip.

39

On the clock Whip up quick and delicious weeknight meals with our SpinneysFOOD frozen range

41 41

ON THE CLOCK

ATLANTIC COD PUTTANESCA WITH GARLIC BREAD

30 MINS

3 garlic cloves

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli (or adjust to taste)

3 anchovy fillets

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

120g SpinneysFOOD Pitted Green Hojiblanca Olives

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

in Brine

4 SpinneysFOOD Atlantic Cod Fillets, thawed

Prep time: 5 minutes

270g SpinneysFOOD Premium Mini San Marzano

Cook time: 25 minutes

Tomatoes

For the garlic bread

Serves: 4

250g SpinneysFOOD Yoom Tomatoes on the Vine

1 SpinneysFOOD Garlic Baguette

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Whole Peeled Italian Tomatoes For the Atlantic cod puttanesca

80ml vegetable stock

To serve

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Handful of fresh oregano

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil

TOP TIP! For a burst of flavour, add some freshly grated lemon zest to the puttanesca sauce just before serving.

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over a medium heat. 3 Mince the garlic and add to the pan along with the anchovies. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the olives, fresh tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, oregano and chilli flakes into the pot. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for approx.

5-10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. 4 Add in the cod fillets and submerge in the sauce.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. 5 Meanwhile, place the garlic baguette in the oven and cook according to package instructions. 6 Serve the Atlantic cod puttanesca topped with fresh basil leaves alongside the hot and crispy garlic bread.

MAKE IT WITH

Atlantic cod puttanesca with garlic bread

42

1 SpinneysFOOD Alaska Pollock Fillets

2 Adriana White

Fish Fillets

3 Siblou Cod Fillets

4 Haddock Fillets

ON THE CLOCK

SMOKED SALMON, CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND CAPER HASH BROWN TRAYBAKE

380g SpinneysFOOD Hash Browns Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill, plus extra for serving 125g crème fraîche 225g hot smoked salmon fillets 2 tbsp capers, drained

For an extra layer of flavour and texture, finely slice

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

half a red onion and scatter over the traybake.

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

To serve

Serves: 4

Lemon wedges

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 2 Meanwhile, lightly grease a large baking tray or oven-safe dish with olive oil or cooking spray. 3 Arrange the frozen hash browns evenly on the baking tray. Place the tray in the oven and bake according to the package instructions until the hash browns are golden and crispy, approx.

15 minutes. 4 While the hash browns are baking, prepare the topping. Finely chop half the dill and place in a small bowl. Add the crème fraîche and stir together. Set aside. 5 Once the hash browns are done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Arrange the hash browns on a serving platter and top each with a dollop of the crème fraîche mixture. Flake the salmon and arrange it over the crème fraîche. Finish off with the capers and dill. Season with salt and black pepper and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

SERVE IT WITH...

Smoked salmon, crème fraîche and caper hash brown traybake

Zesty dill cucumber salad: Thinly sliced cucumbers tossed with fresh dill, red onion and a lemony vinaigrette for a refreshing crunch.

Citrus avocado rocket salad: Peppery rocket, avocado slices and segments of orange tossed in a light citrus dressing.

43

ON THE CLOCK

Sheet pan chicken parmesan

SHEET PAN CHICKEN PARMESAN

4 SpinneysFOOD Breaded Chicken Fillets 250g SpinneysFOOD Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce 110g SpinneysFOOD Mozzarella Cheese

Adding a layer of thinly sliced fresh tomatoes on top

30g Parmesan cheese

of the chicken fillets before spooning the sauce and

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

cheese over them will give this dish an additional

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

layer of flavour.

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil

Prep time: 5 minutes

44

Cook time: 25 minutes

To serve

Serves: 4

100g SpinneysFOOD Organic Mixed Salad

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 8. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2 Place the breaded chicken fillets on the baking tray and bake according to the package instructions, approx. 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through and golden brown. 3 Spoon approx. 2-3 tablespoons of the tomato and mascarpone sauce over the chicken fillets. Grate the mozzarella and Parmesan and evenly sprinkle over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper, return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly, golden and slightly browned. 4 Remove the chicken from the oven, scatter over the fresh basil leaves and serve with the organic mixed salad.

ON THE CLOCK

HERBY PRAWN AND FISH PIE

TOP TIP!

1 leek 1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Prep time: 5 minutes

200g SpinneysFOOD Large Cooked Shrimps, thawed

Cook time: 25 minutes

2 x 250g SpinneysFOOD Creamy Pesto Sauce

Serves: 4

100g frozen peas

2 SpinneysFOOD Alaska Pollock Fillets, thawed

For the topping

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1kg SpinneysFOOD Mashed Potato

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

60-80ml SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Milk

Grate 50g Cheddar cheese and stir through the mashed potato before topping the dish.

Herby prawn and fish pie

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Pat the Alaska pollock fillets dry with paper towels. Season them with salt and black pepper. 3 Finely slice the leek. 4 Heat the oil in a large oven-proof cast iron pan over a medium heat. Sauté the leek until softened, approx. 2 minutes. Add in the fillets and fry on either side for approx. 2 minutes or until lightly golden. Add in the prawns, pesto sauce and peas and cook until warmed through, approx. 5 minutes. 5 Meanwhile, heat the mashed potato according to the package instructions, adding extra milk if needed. 6 When the pesto sauce is warmed through, top the dish with the mashed potato and evenly spread over. Place in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden.

7 Serve immediately.

45

ON THE CLOCK

KOREAN BAKED CHICKEN BOWLS

150g SpinneysFOOD Firecracker Stir Fry Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes

For the bowls

Cook time: 20 minutes

2-3 SpinneysFOOD Organic Cucumbers

Serves: 4

3-4 red radishes Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

For the Korean baked chicken

600g cooked rice from Spinneys Deli

750g SpinneysFOOD Chicken Tenders

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Serve the baked chicken bowls with lime wedges for a burst of citrus ſavour.

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2 Place the chicken tenders on the baking tray and bake according to package instructions, approx. 15 minutes. 3 Heat the firecracker sauce in a small pan over a medium heat until barely simmering. Remove from the heat. 4 Once the tenders are baked through and crispy, drizzle the firecracker sauce over and toss to thoroughly combine.

5 Meanwhile, finely slice the cucumbers and radishes. Chop the coriander. Divide the rice between 4 bowls and top with the tenders, sliced cucumber and radishes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over and scatter over the coriander. 6 Serve immediately.

46

Recipes, food st yling and photography by TheKateTin.com

Korean baked chicken bowls

Power of plants Mushrooms, gut-friendly and immune-boosting foods, soothing veggie soups and delish vegan sandwiches

49

POWER OF PLANTS

mighty

M US HR OOMS The spotlight is firmly on these edible fungi, with their versatile and rich flavours able to elevate a variety of culinary creations

50

Recipes, food st yling and photography by TheKateTin.com

POWER OF PLANTS

PORTOBELLO

WHITE BUTTON

SHIITAKE

SILVER OYSTER

Earthy and dense Best for grilling and stuffing

Mild and tender Best for salads and omelettes

Umami and meaty Best for soups and stews

Subtly sweet, tender and chewy Best for pan-frying

BROWN BUTTON

KING OYSTER

LION'S MANE

CHESTNUT

Robust and firm Best for rich sauces and risottos

Nutty, meaty and chewy Best for roasting and sautéing

Seafood-like and delicate Best substitute for vegan ‘steaks’

Nutty, sweet and crunchy Best for casseroles and pasta

DRIED WILD MUSHROOM

DRIED PORCINI

DRIED SHIITAKE

DRIED PORCINI POWDER

Woody and earthy Best for soups, broths and stews

Nutty and earthy Best for creamy sauces and soups

Smoky and woody Best for Far East Asian dishes

Rich umami Best for soups, sauces and risottos

51

POWER OF PLANTS

MISO MUSHROOM PHYLLO TART

rice vinegar and stir well to combine before removing it from the heat. Set aside to cool.

4 Brush a 22cm-cake tin with some oil and place it on a baking tray. 5 Combine the olive oil and sesame oil. 6 Unroll the phyllo pastry and slice each sheet in half. Brush one sheet of pastry at a time with the oil mixture until coated all over. Lay a sheet in the cake tin, allowing it to partly overhang. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets, positioning them in different directions to overlap and cover the entire tin evenly. 7 Stir the eggs and crème fraîche into the slightly cooled mushroom mixture until well combined. Pour this mixture into the phyllo pastry case. 8 Slice half of the remaining shiitake mushrooms in half, keeping the rest whole. Scatter over the shiitake mushrooms and sesame seeds. 9 Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tart is set and golden on top, and the exposed phyllo pastry is a deep golden brown.

10 Allow the tart to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin and slicing. Serve the tart while warm.

MUSHROOM, SOUR CREAM AND TARRAGON CHICKEN TRAY BAKE

3 tbsp crème fraîche

OYSTER MUSHROOM SHAWARMA

Feel free to add the sliced mixed mushrooms to the

For the tart base

To make a delicious home-made sauce to serve along

minutes of cooking. The mushrooms will soak up the

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

with the shawarma, whisk together olive oil, lemon

delicious flavours from the chicken and the creamy

3 tbsp sesame oil

zest, lemon juice, maple syrup and store-bought

tarragon sauce.

3 sheets phyllo pastry

shawarma spice mix. This sauce will add a zesty,

Prep time: 15 minutes

½ tsp black sesame seeds

sweet and savoury kick to your shawarma.

Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Phyllo pastry tends to dry out quickly. To keep it supple and to prevent it from becoming too brittle, cover the sheets you’re not using with a damp kitchen towel. This will help you handle the phyllo sheets more easily and ensure a flakier texture for your tart.

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Serves: 4-6

VEGGIE

For the filling 1 red onion 120g SpinneysFOOD Shiitake Mushrooms 60g SpinneysFOOD Chestnut Mushrooms 60g SpinneysFOOD Brown Button Mushrooms 1 red chilli 20g ginger 3 garlic cloves 1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, plus extra for greasing 2 tbsp miso paste 1 tbsp rice vinegar 2 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

roasting tray with the chicken for the last 20-30

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Finely slice the red onion. Roughly chop half the shiitake mushrooms and set aside the remaining half. Roughly chop the chestnut and brown mushrooms. Deseed and finely slice the chilli. Finely grate the ginger. Crush the garlic.

3 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes until they become very soft and turn golden.

Add the chilli, ginger and garlic to the pan and sauté for an additional minute, stirring until fragrant. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and cook for a further minute. Add in the miso and

52

Cook time: 35 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

1 whole chicken SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

For the mushroom shawarma

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

450g SpinneysFOOD Silver Oyster Mushrooms

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 head of garlic

60g Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Shawarma Spice Paste

250g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, shiitake, cremini, etc.)

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

Handful of tarragon 250ml sour cream

To serve

1 heaped tbsp horseradish sauce

100g garlic sauce (toum)

4 tbsp stock

4 Lebanese-style flatbread 80g pickled ghazal peppers from Spinneys deli

To serve

80g pickled turnips from Spinneys deli

SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

1 Clean the oyster mushroom clusters and trim any tough ends. Place all the mushrooms in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, shawarma spice paste and salt. Once evenly coated, thread all the mushroom clusters onto one large skewer or 4 regular skewers, leaving some space at the end for handling. Don’t discard the leftover olive oil-shawarma spice mix.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 3 Arrange the skewers on the tray. Place the tray in the oven for approx. 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have a nice char from the grill. As they cook, brush with the leftover spice mix. 4 Remove the skewers and place them on a serving platter, alongside the garlic sauce, flatbreads and pickles. Scatter over microgreens and serve immediately.

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7.

2 Spatchcock the chicken by turning it over and cutting along one side of the spine from the tail to the neck. Turn it back over, open out the two sides, and press down hard on the breast to flatten it. (Or ask your Spinneys butcher to do this for you.) 3 Lay the chicken in a large, roasting tray. Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Allow it to rest at room temperature for about an hour. After resting, generously drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, making sure to spread it all over the bird.

4 Smash the head of garlic and place the cloves underneath the chicken. Arrange the mushrooms around the chicken in the tray. 5 Roast the chicken for 20-30 minutes until the skin begins to turn golden brown. While the chicken is roasting, finely chop the tarragon and mix with

POWER OF PLANTS

Oyster mushroom shawarma

Miso mushroom phyllo tart

Mushroom, sour cream and tarragon chicken tray bake

Thai mushroom salad

53

POWER OF PLANTS

Roasted mushroom hummus

POWER OF PLANTS

the sour cream and horseradish sauce in a bowl.

Season this mixture well with salt and pepper.

6 After the initial 20-30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 140°C, gas mark 3.

Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the stock into the roasting tray along with the cream mixture. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for a further 20-30 minutes, or until fully cooked through. To check for doneness, use a digital thermometer and aim for a reading of 65-70°C in the thickest part of the thigh. Alternatively, insert a skewer into the same area, ensuring the juices run clear. 7 Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven, cover it loosely with aluminium foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

8 Remove the chicken from the tray and place it on a clean surface. Carve the chicken then return it to the tray. 9 Scatter over roughly torn parsley and serve.

THAI MUSHROOM SALAD Adjust the amount of fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar to achieve your desired balance of sweet, salty and tangy in this salad. You could also add more Thai chillies if you prefer a spicier salad.

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves: 2-4 For the dressing 1 lime 5cm piece lemongrass 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil 1 tbsp soya sauce 2 tsp fish sauce 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar For the crispy tofu 250g firm tofu

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil 1 spring onion 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD White Sesame Seeds

1 Juice the lime. Remove the tough outer layer of the lemongrass and slice the tender white core.

Combine with the dressing ingredients. Set aside.

2 Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and slice into 2cm-thick cubes. Place in a bowl and pour the soya sauce over to coat completely. 3 Heat a large frying pan with enough oil. 4 Toss the tofu cubes in the rice flour then fry in the hot oil, in batches, until evenly golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm. 5 Trim the tough stems of the mushrooms and halve the large mushrooms.

6 Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat.

Once hot, add in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly. 7 Roughly chop the fresh herbs. Finely slice the spring onion. Lightly toast the sesame seeds. 8 When ready to serve, arrange the mushrooms on a platter and top with the herbs, spring onion and toasted sesame seeds. Finish with a drizzle of the dressing.

3 tbsp soya sauce 50g rice flour

ROASTED MUSHROOM HUMMUS

SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for frying For a stronger mushroom flavour, add a teaspoon For the mushrooms

of porcini powder to the hummus or sprinkle over the

280g mixed mushrooms (oyster, king oyster, cremini, and/

hummus right before serving.

or wild mushrooms)

Prep time: 15 minutes

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil

Cook time: 20 minutes

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

Serves: 4-6

VEGAN

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste For the roasted mushrooms

To serve Handful of SpinneysFOOD Microgreens SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste Sesame breadsticks

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.

2 In a mixing bowl, toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, salt and pepper until they are well coated. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven and roast for approx. 20 minutes, or until they are tender and have a nice golden colour. Allow them to cool slightly. 3 Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a high-speed blender, combine the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic clove and salt. Blitz until the mixture is very smooth. If it’s too thick, add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. 4 Add 2⁄3 of the roasted mushrooms to the blender with the hummus mixture. Blitz again until the mushrooms are well incorporated into the hummus. 5 Transfer the hummus to a serving plate. Top with the reserved roasted mushrooms, microgreens and black pepper. 6 Serve the roasted mushroom hummus with the sesame breadsticks.

LION’S MANE MUSHROOM STEAKS WITH SPANISH PICADA SAUCE

For the salad

280g mixed mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, oyster,

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

and/or wild mushrooms)

Searing and pressing whole lion’s mane mushrooms

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

creates a meatier texture and richer flavour in the

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

‘steak’. Be sure to press the mushroom firmly after

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

flipping to achieve steak-like compactness.

Prep time: 30 minutes

For the hummus

Cook time: 30 minutes

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas

Serves: 4

VEGAN

80g smooth tahini 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the BBQ lion’s mane mushroom steaks

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

4 large lion’s mane mushrooms (approx. 300g each)

1 garlic clove

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

55

POWER OF PLANTS

Lion’s mane mushroom steaks with Spanish picada sauce

Fish-sauce glazed king oyster mushrooms

Chilled shiitake mushroom soba

56

POWER OF PLANTS

Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for approx.

1 minute until fragrant. Add the bread, stirring constantly, until the pieces turn golden brown and crispy. Add the blanched almonds to the pan and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. 6 In a food processor, or using a mortar and pestle, combine the bread mixture with the parsley and a dash of salt. Pulse, or grind, until you achieve a coarse sauce. 7 Place the seared lion’s mane mushroom steaks on a serving platter. Spoon the Spanish picada sauce over the mushroom steaks and finish with a light drizzle of olive oil.

CHILLED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM SOBA To prevent the soba noodles from sticking together after cooking, rinse them under cold water then toss them with a little sesame oil or vegetable oil before storing them in a separate container. This will help maintain their texture when chilled.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Serves: 4

VEGGIE

For the mushroom broth 1 small leek 10-12 dried shiitake mushrooms 1L SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

FISH-SAUCE GLAZED KING OYSTER MUSHROOMS

2 tbsp soya sauce 2 tbsp rice vinegar ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

When grilling the king oyster mushrooms, keep a close eye on them to prevent scorching while building

To serve

a rich glaze. Basting helps infuse the mushrooms with

180g soba noodles

flavour and keeps them moist.

1 tsp black sesame seeds

Prep time: 15 minutes Pickling time: 20 minutes Serves: 2-4 For the fish sauce glaze For the Spanish picada sauce

1 garlic clove

1 garlic clove

4 tbsp red grape vinegar

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp soya sauce

2 slices leftover sourdough

1 tbsp fish sauce

120g skinless and blanched almonds (whole, slivered,

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar

or sliced) Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

4 large SpinneysFOOD King Oyster Mushrooms

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 Carefully trim any tough stems from the bottom of the lion’s mane mushrooms and ensure that the mushroom remains intact. 2 Heat a large, cast-iron pan, or any heavy pan, over a medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. You may need to fry the mushrooms in batches depending on the size of the pan. 3 Place the lion’s mane mushroom, stem-side down, in the hot pan. Place a heavybased saucepan on top of the mushroom to press it down. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the bottom is nicely browned. After the bottom is browned, gently flip the mushroom and cook the other side for a further 4-5 minutes. You can now start pressing the mushroom more firmly to compact it into a steak shape. If the pan looks dry, add more oil, moving the mushroom around to ensure even contact with the oil while pressing and searing. 4 When both sides are beautifully browned, lightly season with salt and pepper on both sides. Continue pressing and searing until the entire steak is deeply browned, slightly crisp at the edges and compacted, approx.

3-4 minutes more. 5 Meanwhile, prepare the Spanish picada sauce. Finely slice the garlic.

Remove from the crusts from the bread slices and tear them into small pieces. In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a low heat.

1 Rinse and finely slice the leek. 2 In a medium-sized pot, combine the sliced leek, dried mushrooms and water. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat then lower to a gentle simmer for approx.15-20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are fully rehydrated. 3 Remove from the heat and add the soya sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Adjust to taste. Place in the fridge to chill completely. 4 When ready to serve, prepare the noodles as per package instructions. Divide the broth, noodles and mushrooms between four bowls and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.

To serve SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil SpinneysFOOD Natural Sea Salt Flakes

1 Mince the garlic. 2 In a small saucepan over a medium-high heat, combine the red grape vinegar, soya sauce, fish sauce, sugar and garlic.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer until it has reduced by half. It should still be fairly loose and won’t coat a spoon at this stage. This will take approx. 6-8 minutes.

Set the glaze aside. 3 Clean the king oyster mushrooms and trim any tough ends. Slice them lengthways into thick strips, resembling steak-like shapes. Using a sharp paring knife, score them in a criss-cross pattern. 4 Place a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. 5 Drizzle the olive over the mushrooms and season with salt. Grill the mushrooms turning every minute, until they are browned on both sides. Start basting the mushrooms after 5 minutes, every minute or so.

Grill until the mushroom strips are dark brown and have absorbed the glaze, which should take approx. 10 minutes. 6 Transfer the glazed king oyster mushroom strips to a serving platter.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

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T H AT ’ S A M O R E

Mindful Roasted red capsicum, sumac and pumpkin seed hummus

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POWER OF PLANTS

Yoghurt and turmeric mango lassi with kefir

Mix and match ingredients to prepare meals that are not only delicious but also packed with gut-friendly and immune-boosting benefits

ROASTED RED CAPSICUM, SUMAC AND PUMPKIN SEED HUMMUS

20g pumpkin seeds

Certain studies have shown that red capsicum and

1 Preheat the oven to 250°C, gas mark 6.

2 Place the red capsicums on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Roast in the oven until the skin is charred and blistered, approx. 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Peel and remove the seeds.

3 Peel the garlic. Juice the lemon. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. 4 To make the toasted seed mix, place a pan over a medium heat. Add the seeds and toast for 3-4 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside. 5 In a food processor, place 1 roasted red capsicum, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, remaining olive oil, sumac, garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.

Add some ice water, if needed. 6 Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and top with the remaining roasted red capsicum. Sprinkle over the toasted mixed seeds and serve with crudités or flatbreads of choice.

sumac have anti-inflammatory properties, while pumpkin seeds are rich in fibre. These ingredients combined make this hummus a nutritious snack.

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

For the hummus 2 large SpinneysFOOD Red Capsicums 3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 garlic clove 1 lemon 1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas 50g pumpkin seeds 1 tsp sumac SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste For the toasted mixed seeds 20g sunflower seeds

20g SpinneysFOOD White Sesame Seeds

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POWER OF PLANTS

Mustard seed and fennel pickled garlic salad with herbed yoghurt dressing

TOP TIP! Smashed miso chickpeas and avocado on rye toast

The pickled garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.

YOGHURT AND TURMERIC MANGO LASSI WITH KEFIR

SMASHED MISO CHICKPEAS AND AVOCADO ON RYE TOAST

This lassi combines the gut-friendly properties of

Gut-healthy miso and chickpeas combined with

probiotic foods – yoghurt and kefir – with the anti-

high-fibre rye bread and avocado make this a filling,

Pickled garlic is good for the gut and also has

inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-boosting

quick lunch. The fermentation process employed in

immune-boosting properties. It has a milder flavour

properties of turmeric. Additionally, full fat kefir is great

making miso enhances the body’s ability to absorb its

than fresh garlic.

for bone health – not just as a source of calcium but it

nutrients and helps with digestion, too.

Prep time: 20 minutes

also includes vitamin K2, which is known to help with

Prep time: 15 minutes

Pickling time: 2 days

calcium absorption.

Serves: 2

VEGAN

MUSTARD SEED AND FENNEL PICKLED GARLIC SALAD WITH HERBED YOGHURT DRESSING

Serves: 4

VEGGIE

Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 2

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas

For mustard seed and fennel pickled garlic

2 tbsp miso paste

200g garlic cloves

1 ripe mango

1 tbsp lemon juice

125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

200ml plain yoghurt

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, to taste

125ml white grape vinegar

100ml kefir

4 slices rye bread

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric

1 SpinneysFOOD Ripe Avocado

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Mustard Seeds

VEGGIE

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Natural Organic Honey A pinch of ground cardamom

To serve

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

Sprouts For the herbed yoghurt dressing

To serve SpinneysFOOD Ice Cubes

1 Peel, deseed and chop the mango. 2 Place the mango, yoghurt, kefir, turmeric, honey and cardamom in a blender. Blitz until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and add more honey, if needed. 3 Serve the lassi over ice cubes in glasses.

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1 Drain and rinse the chickpeas. 2 Using a fork or a potato masher, mash the chickpeas until mostly smooth. 3 Add in the miso paste, lemon juice, and a generous sprinkling of black pepper.

Mix well. 4 Toast the rye bread slices until crisp.

Slice the avocado. 5 Spread the smashed miso chickpeas onto the toasted rye bread and top with sliced avocado. 6 Top with sprouts and serve immediately.

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill 1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley 200g SpinneysFOOD Greek Yoghurt 1 tbsp lemon juice SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, to taste For the salad 200g mixed salad leaves

POWER OF PLANTS

TOP TIP! This dish can be made with any frozen fruit.

Roasted broccoli, blue cheese and almond salad

Strawberry snow with yoghurt

2 small cucumbers

Prep time: 10 minutes

1 small bunch radishes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Recipes, food st yling and photography by TheKateTin.com

Serves: 4

1 To make the pickled garlic, begin by peeling the garlic. Then place the cloves in a sterilised jar along with the water. Combine the vinegar, sugar, whole spices and salt in a saucepan over a medium heat. Heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Do not bring it to a boil.

Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the garlic.

Seal the jar and let it cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate for at least 2 days before using. 2 To make the herbed yoghurt dressing, chop the fresh herbs and place it in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. 3 To make the salad, wash the salad leaves and place them in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, make ribbons from the cucumber. Thinly slice the radishes. Place the cucumber ribbons and sliced radish in the bowl with the salad leaves and toss together with 6-8 pickled garlic cloves. 4 Drizzle the herbed yoghurt dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.

ROASTED BROCCOLI, BLUE CHEESE AND ALMOND SALAD Broccoli and blue cheese are gut-friendly ingredients that go well with almonds, which are known to support immune health.

VEGGIE

500g broccoli 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. 5 In a large bowl, combine the roasted broccoli and crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently to coat. Scatter the toasted almonds over the salad. 6 Serve immediately as a standalone meal or as a side dish.

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 50g whole almonds

STRAWBERRY SNOW WITH YOGHURT

100g blue cheese Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C and For the dressing

eating this fruit is also associated with a reduced risk of

1 garlic clove

chronic diseases. Paired with our protein-rich and gut-

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

healthy Greek-style yoghurt, this light dish is the perfect

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

immune-boosting dessert.

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Prep time: 10 minutes (plus freezing time)

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

Serves: 6

VEGGIE

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 500g fresh strawberries

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.

2 Separate the broccoli into florets, then toss together with the olive oil, salt and pepper.

Spread the florets on a baking sheet and roast for approx. 20 minutes until tender and slightly crisp.

3 To make the dressing, grate the garlic into a small bowl. Add in the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk together until combined. 4 Roughly chop the almonds. Place the nuts in a pan over a medium heat and toast until golden and fragrant, approx.

200g SpinneysFOOD Greek Yoghurt

1 Hull the strawberries. 2 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3 Spread the hulled strawberries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Make sure they’re not touching each other to prevent clumping. Freeze the strawberries for at least 4 hours, or until completely frozen.

4 Spoon the yoghurt into bowls. 5 Using a grater, grate the frozen strawberries over the yoghurt. 6 Serve immediately.

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POWER OF PLANTS

Soothing Roasted tomato and basil soup

Loaded with the goodness of veggies, these heart-warming vegan soups are exactly what you need for comfort

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soups

POWER OF PLANTS

Curried pumpkin soup

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Sweetcorn, ginger and lemongrass soup necessary. Allow the tomato soup to simmer for 10 minutes before serving. 5 Ladle the soup into individual bowls and drizzle with olive oil, scatter over the basil leaves, and sprinkle over the chilli flakes and black pepper.

CURRIED PUMPKIN SOUP To add extra flavour to the pumpkin, toss the diced pumpkin with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast in a preheated oven at 200°C, gas mark 6, for approx. 20 minutes or until the edges turn golden.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

For the pumpkin soup 1.2 kg pumpkin 1 large white onion 5cm piece fresh ginger 2 small garlic cloves 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1-2 tbsp mild curry powder 5cm piece fresh turmeric root 1L vegetable stock SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, ground, to taste For the toasted spiced pumpkin seeds 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 30g pumpkin seeds

COOK’S NOTE

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Mustard Seeds ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Coriander Seeds

Save time by preparing the corn stock in advance and freezing it in portion-sized containers. To prepare the soup, simply thaw the stock, add fresh corn kernels and continue with the recipe as instructed.

ROASTED TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste To serve 1 lime 200ml coconut cream Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander leaves Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Edible Flowers

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

1.2kg Roma tomatoes 1 red onion 1 garlic bulb 3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 250ml-500ml vegetable stock Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil To serve SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling

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1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.

2 Halve the tomatoes. Peel and quarter the onion. Place them in a roasting dish along with the whole garlic bulb. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the dish in the oven for approx. 40 minutes, or until caramelised. Once roasted, set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. 3 Place the roasted tomatoes and onion in a a blender. Squeeze out the roasted garlic from its skin and add to the blender. Pour the stock into the blender and add in the basil leaves. Blend on high speed until smooth. 4 Transfer the mixture to a pot placed over a medium heat. Adjust the seasoning, if

1 Peel, deseed and dice the pumpkin. Finely chop the white onion. Finely slice the ginger.

Mince the garlic. 2 In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they become soft and translucent. Stir in the curry powder and grate in the fresh turmeric. Sauté for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to release the flavours. Add the diced pumpkin and sliced ginger to the pot and continue to sauté for a few more minutes. 3 Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and allow the mixture to simmer for approx. 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. 4 Using a stick blender or a regular blender, purée the soup until it is smooth and creamy. If using a regular blender, make sure to cool the soup slightly before blending and work in batches, if necessary. Season the soup with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, add in more vegetable stock or water to achieve your desired consistency. 5 Heat the olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add in the pumpkin seeds, mustard seeds and coriander

POWER OF PLANTS

TOP TIP! To make this soup extra creamy, add in 125ml yoghurt and blend until smooth.

This soup can also be served cold.

Green goddess soup

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POWER OF PLANTS

To make the cabbage soup more ſavourful, quarter the cabbage and place it in a roasting tray with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast it at 200°C, gas mark 6, for approx. 20-30 minutes or until the edges turn golden.

seeds. Fry for 30 seconds or until slightly golden brown and fragrant. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set them aside. 6 Ladle the pumpkin soup into bowls. Halve the lime and squeeze over the soup. Drizzle over some coconut cream and top with the toasted seeds, coriander leaves and edible flowers.

Top with the olive oil, fresh coriander leaves and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

PURPLE CABBAGE AND POTATO SOUP

GREEN GODDESS SOUP

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

VEGAN

Cook time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

SWEETCORN, GINGER AND LEMONGRASS SOUP

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

VEGGIE

For the soup 1 medium red onion

For the green goddess soup

2 celery stalks

1 leek

2 garlic cloves

Prep time: 20 minutes

2 garlic cloves

2 medium-sized potatoes

Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes

2 celery stems

1 small head of purple cabbage

Serves: 4

120g courgette

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

300g cauliflower

1½L vegetable stock

For the corn stock

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 SpinneysFOOD Bay Leaf

4 ears of fresh sweetcorn

1L vegetable stock

3 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme

1 leek

50g SpinneysFOOD Organic Baby Spinach

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

2 stalks lemongrass

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, ground, to taste

1 celery stalk

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

1 garlic clove

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives

For the toasted sunflower seeds

5cm piece of fresh ginger

1 lemon

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 SpinneysFOOD Whole Black Peppercorns

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

2 tbsp sunflower seeds

1½L SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, ground, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

To serve

3 radishes

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, ground, to taste

100g plain Greek yoghurt

Handful SpinneysFOOD Edible Flowers

50g sugar snap peas

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

VEGAN

To serve

Handful of fennel fronds

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

1 Hold each ear of corn upright and carefully slice off the kernels using a sharp knife. Set aside the kernels. 2 Chop the leek, lemongrass and celery. Crush the garlic clove. Slice the ginger. Add these to a large pot along with the peppercorns and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and let the stock simmer for approx. 1 hour. 3 Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl. Press down on the solids to extract all the flavourful liquid. Place the corn stock back in the pot along with the corn kernels and cook for approx. 20-25 minutes, or until the sweetcorn is tender. 4 Using a hand blender or a regular blender, purée the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. If using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending and work in batches, if necessary. Season the soup with salt and pepper. 5 Ladle the soup into bowls.

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1 Finely slice the leek. Mince the garlic. Finely slice the celery and courgette. Roughly chop the cauliflower. 2 In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the leek, garlic and courgette and sauté until the leek becomes translucent and fragrant. Stir in the cauliflower and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and allow it to simmer for approx. 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Add in the spinach and cook for a further minute or so, until the spinach has wilted. Add in the herbs.

3 Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, purée the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. If using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending and work in batches, if necessary. 4 Zest and juice the lemon. Add the zest to the soup. Season the soup with salt, pepper and the lemon juice, to taste. Adjust the seasoning, if required. 5 Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle over the yoghurt and top with halved sugar snap peas and herbs.

Serve while hot.

1 Peel and finely slice the red onion. Roughly chop the celery. Mince the garlic. Dice the potatoes. Finely slice the purple cabbage. 2 In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the potatoes and purple cabbage. Cook for a few minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the bay leaf and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for approx.

20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the bay leaf from the soup. 3 Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, purée the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. If using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending and work in batches, if necessary. Season the soup with salt and pepper. 4 Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the sunflower seeds and fry for approx. 30 seconds, or until golden and toasted. 5 Finely slice the radishes. 6 Ladle the soup into bowls and top with radishes, toasted sunflower seeds, edible flowers and parsley.

Recipes, food st yling and photography by TheKateTin.com

To serve

POWER OF PLANTS

Purple cabbage and potato soup

No time to make soup from scratch? We stock a variety of vegetarian soups in store.

Soule Soups Potato and Leek Soup

Waitrose Spic y Red Lentil Soup

SpinneysFOOD Tomato and Basil Soup

SpinneysFOOD Chunk y Moroccan Harira Soup

Auga Organic Carrot Soup

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POWER OF PLANTS

VEGAN

SANDWICHES Ro a s t e d le and b a t e g ve zarella z o m n ve g a ch sandwi

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Colourful veggies, flavourful sauces and meaty mushrooms come together to create these sandwiches, which make the perfect anytime meal

POWER OF PLANTS

MUS

HROOM

KATSU SANDO W it h t h eir m eat y t e kin g o x t u r e, yst e r m u s h ro o ms the pe are r fect s ubst it u c h i c ke t e for n in t h is s an d w ic h.

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POWER OF PLANTS

AUBERGINE

REUBEN SANDWICH

b e n is T h e Re u s e r ve d y l l a n o i t ra dit es ill pickl d d e c i l w it h s . o chips t a t o p and

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POWER OF PLANTS

ROASTED VEGETABLE AND VEGAN MOZZARELLA SANDWICH To give this sandwich greater depth of flavour, marinate the artichokes and mixed peppers in a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil before assembling.

Prep time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

8 slices of sourdough 100g marinated grilled artichokes from Spinneys deli

excess oil. 5 Toast the slices of white sandwich bread, if desired. Spread the tonkatsu sauce on one side of two slices then spread the mayonnaise on the reverse. Place a slice on top of the mayonnaise sides and turn over so the tonkatsu side faces up. 6 Finely slice the lettuce and place a generous layer of fresh leaves on the tonkatsu side of one slice. Arrange the crispy mushroom katsu on top of the lettuce. Top with the other two sandwiched slices, tonkatsu side down. 7 Slice and serve.

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt 1 medium carrot 3 radish For the Sriracha mayo 120g vegan mayonnaise 1-2 tbsp Sriracha sauce, or adjust to taste 1 tbsp lime juice To assemble the banh mi 4 baguettes or small French rolls 3 mini cucumbers

125ml vegan basil pesto Handful of fresh rocket

AUBERGINE REUBEN SANDWICH

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

Finish off your sandwich by frying it in a pan with 2

1 Press and slice the tofu into 2cm-thick strips.

Peel and mince the garlic. 2 In a bowl, whisk together the soya sauce, hoisin sauce, maple syrup, garlic, sesame oil, salt and pepper.

Place the sliced tofu in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over it. Ensure each piece is evenly coated. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour.

3 In a bowl, mix the rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve.

Divide between 2 bowls. 4 Julienne the carrot and finely slice the radish. Place separately in the bowls of the pickling liquid. Toss to coat.

Leave them to pickle for at least 30 minutes.

5 In a small bowl, combine vegan mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce and lime juice. 6 Heat a medium-sized pan over a medium-high heat.

Place the marinated tofu slices in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and slightly crispy. 7 Halve and toast the baguettes. Finely slice the cucumber.

8 To assemble the banh mi, spread a generous amount of the Sriracha mayo on the toasted baguette halves. Layer with the tofu slices followed by the pickled vegetables, cucumber slices and coriander leaves.

140g Violife Mozzarella Flavour Slices 120g SpinneysFOOD Roasted Mixed Peppers

teaspoon olive oil until golden on both sides and the

1 Place the sourdough slices on a clean surface.

Drain and slice the artichokes. 2 To assemble a sandwich, spread the pesto on two slices. Place some rocket on one slice then layer with the cheese, mixed peppers, artichokes and more rocket. Cover with the second slice. Repeat this process with the remaining slices. 3 Serve immediately, or preferably wrap and chill for a few hours or overnight for the flavours to mingle.

cheese has melted.

Prep time: 5 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

For the vegan Russian dressing 125ml mayonnaise 4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup 2 tbsp horseradish 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp white grape vinegar

MUSHROOM KATSU SANDO For the Reuben sandwiches If tonkatsu sauce is not available, make a quick

200g red sauerkraut

alternative by combining soya sauce, ketchup and a

8 slices of rye bread

touch of sugar.

400g ready-made grilled aubergine slices

Prep time: 20 minutes

240g Violife Original Slices

Cook time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

VEGAN

For the mushroom katsu 400g SpinneysFOOD King Oyster Mushrooms 120g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour 160g chickpea flour 250ml SpinneysFOOD Plant-based Mylk 120g Panko breadcrumbs SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. 2 Drain the sauerkraut. 3 Lay out the slices of rye bread.

On four of the slices, spread a generous amount of the vegan Russian dressing. Top with the grilled aubergine slices followed by the vegan cheese and sauerkraut. 4 Place the remaining slices of rye bread on top to close the sandwiches. 5 Serve immediately.

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

FALAFEL ‘MEATBALL’ SUB Prep time: 5 minutes

SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for frying

TOFU BANH MI

To assemble the sando

For a more substantial meal, consider adding avocado

8 slices of SpinneysFOOD White Sandwich Bread

slices or a drizzle of hoisin sauce to your banh mi.

For the falafel meatballs

80ml vegan tonkatsu sauce

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus marination and pickling time)

1 x 345g jar SpinneysFOOD Napoletana Sauce

4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

Cook time: 15 minutes

24 falafel from Spinneys deli

1 head of gem lettuce

Serves: 4

1 Clean and trim the king oyster mushrooms then slice into thick strips, approx. 1½cm in width.

2 Set up a breading station with three shallow dishes: one with all-purpose flour, one with plant-based milk mixed with chickpea flour and one with the breadcrumbs. Season the chickpea flour mixture with salt and pepper. 3 In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. 4 Dip each mushroom strip into the flour, then the chickpea flour mixture and finally coat it in the breadcrumbs, ensuring they’re evenly coated.

Fry the breaded mushroom slices until golden brown on both sides, approx. 3-4 minutes per side. Place them on paper towels to absorb

For the marinated tofu

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

400g extra-firm tofu

4 x Dijonette breads

2 garlic cloves

125g vegan basil pesto

Cook time: 5 minutes

Recipes, food st yling and photography by TheKateTin.com

Serves: 4

VEGAN

VEGAN

To serve

2 tbsp soya sauce 2 tbsp hoisin sauce 1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Maple Syrup 1 tsp sesame oil SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste For the pickled vegetables 125ml rice vinegar 4 tbsp water 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar

1 Heat the Napoletana sauce in a pan over a medium heat. Once simmering, add in the falafel and toss to coat. Cook until warmed through, approx. 5 minutes. 2 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Halve the bread and place in the pan to toast for approx. 1 minute, or until golden. 3 Arrange the ‘meatballs’ on the base of the buns and top each with 2 tablespoons of basil pesto. Top with the remaining halves and serve.

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POWER OF PLANTS

ar s popul i h t f o rsio n O ur ve d wich n a s e s e n Vietnam d tofu i e t a n i r s ma a t. feature red me f o e c pla

TOFU 72

BANH MI

POWER OF PLANTS

FA L A F E L

‘MEATBALL’ SUB

To ke ep th e mea place t b alls , holl in ow o u half o t t h e f the l owe r bread t o ast i ng so befor e that t he me h a ve atbal a bed ls t o sit in.

We have a variety of vegan products in store to make these sandwiches.

The Tofoo Co. Extra Firm Organic Tofu

Violife Mozzarella Flavour Slices

Waitrose Plantliving Vegan Mayo

SpinneysFOOD Organic Sourdough Boule

Sacla Vegan Basil Pesto

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Roasted vegetable bowl

To serve Rocket

A fr es h start Inspired by Moroccan flavours, this delicious veggie bowl carries warm notes of cinnamon and cumin and fresh citrus from orange and lemon zest. Zahra Abdalla developed this recipe at a time when her husband was on a vegan diet – “I love this salad because it’s a complete and filling meal on its own,” she says.

ROASTED VEGETABLE BOWL

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas in Water

Prep time: 20 minutes

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cook time: 30 minutes

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Serves: 4-6

100g rocket leaves 1 SpinneysFOOD Avocado

2 large carrots 1 large SpinneysFOOD Beauregard Sweet Potato

For the tahini sauce

1 cauliflower

1 lemon

185g quinoa

150g tahini paste

250ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

100ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

8 SpinneysFOOD Medjool Dates

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

1 bunch SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder, optional

1 bunch SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

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1 orange

For the coriander salsa

1 lemon

30g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

1 garlic clove

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

1 red chilli

1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

4 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp orange blossom water

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 Preheat the oven at 200°C, gas mark 6.

2 Peel and julienne the carrots and sweet potato. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Place the carrots, sweet potato and cauliflower in separate baking pans. Drizzle olive oil over each and season with salt and pepper. Roast each for 10-15 minutes.

3 Place the quinoa in a medium-sized pot. Add the water then set the pot over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer over a low heat until the quinoa is fully cooked. Fluff with a fork and leave aside to cool. 4 Meanwhile, cube the dates.

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a pan over a low heat. Roughly chop the fresh herbs.

Zest the orange then juice half of it. Juice the lemon. 5 In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and orange blossom water. Fluff together with a fork. Add in the roasted carrots, sweet potato, cauliflower florets, chickpeas, dates, pine nuts, herbs, orange juice and zest, lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss together and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper. 6 To make the tahini sauce, juice the lemons. Combine the tahini paste and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly add the water, whisking until the sauce has a light, creamy consistency.

Season with the sea salt, pepper and chilli powder, if using. 7 To make the coriander salsa, finely chop the coriander and mince the garlic. Deseed and finely chop the red chilli. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, red chilli and salt in a medium-sized bowl. 8 Place in bowls topped with the tahini sauce and coriander salsa. Serve immediately with rocket leaves and slices of avocado on the side.

Photography Kately n A lleg ra

Avocado slices

LURPAK LIGHT

AIR FRIED FOOD DESERVES

LURPAK

®

A PERFECT BLEND OF

LURPAK® BUTTER AND CANOLA OIL

Liquid gold Discover the varieties and their culinary uses in this handy guide to olive oil

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K N OW YO U R O I L S For such a pure and simple product, olive oil is subject to many variations and specifics. So, for the discerning customer, it’s a good idea to learn the watchwords on the bottle…

P OM AC E This is oil drawn from leftover pulp and pits after the olives are first pressed.

Heat and solvents used in refining make for a milder-tasting product that is technically lower-quality than extra virgin but better suited to high-temperature frying and baking.

R EG U L A R/PU R E O L I V E O I L Don’t be fooled that ‘pure’ means ‘better’ – the contents are usually blended from virgin and refined oils. Again the quality is lower and the flavour milder, even neutral, so ‘regular’ is the more apt descriptor for an oil that’s just okay for cooking.

V I RG I N Now you’re getting to the good stuff: this is unrefined oil that maintains the original flavour of the olive. Produced to slightly looser standards than its extra virgin cousin, with a higher quantity of oleic acid, it’s actually quite rare to see this sold in stores.

E X T R A V I RG I N O L I V E O I L ( E VO O) This is as pure as olive oil gets, produced to the highest standards under strictest regulations. EVOO certification means no chemicals, no heat, no refinement and ultimately no defects, so this olive oil is optimal for consumption straight from the bottle.

CO L D PR ESS E D In technical terms this refers to olive oil that is kept below 28°C during the extraction process, thereby preserving the flavour and fragrance of the olive. It used to be a meaningful distinction back when later pressings were heated, but in modern practice all extra virgin olive oils are effectively produced ‘cold’.

FI LT E R E D VS U N FI LT E R E D Tastes tend to diverge on these: cloudier ‘unfiltered’ olive oil is often claimed to be ‘purer’, or closer to nature in the raw.

Sediment makes it a little volatile and shortens the shelf life, so some prefer the cleaner, clearer and longer-lasting ‘filtered’ product.

S TAY AWAY FRO M ‘L I G H T’ O I L Like ‘pure’, the word ‘light’ can be misleading. The product in your hand is still 100 per cent fat and invariably quite bland, its flavour and aroma having been blanched out by heat and chemicals.

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F RY There are better seed oils for most frying purposes, with higher smoke points and subtler flavours. But regular or ‘light’ olive oils can add their own mild flourish to fried dishes with smoke points around 240°C – substantially lower than EVOO, which is best kept for uncooked foods or finishing touches.

CRISPY OLIVE OIL FRIED POTATO WEDGES Prep time: 40 minutes

YOUTH AND BEAUTY Olive oil is not like wine, and does not improve with age.

The better the oil the shorter the shelf-life, in fact, and EVOO will degrade pretty quick. For optimal flavour, keep for no more than two years before opening, and two months after.

Cook time: 12 minutes per batch Serves: 4-6 900g russet potatoes (approx. 4 medium) 2 fresh or dried bay leaves 1tbsp whole cloves 1 head of garlic 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt Olive oil, for frying (approx. 950ml) To serve 50g sun-dried olives Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Rosemary

TOP TIP!

SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes Flavoured with Wild Garlic, for seasoning

1 Wash and slice the potatoes into wedges.

Place the wedges in a large pot with 2 litres of water. Add the bay leaves, cloves, garlic and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until the wedges are just tender, approx. 4-5 minutes. 2 Drain and spread

HIGH MAINTENANCE Vulnerable, volatile, a little precious... a good olive oil needs protection from heat and light in particular.

Store in dark glass and dry cupboards, and keep the lid tightly sealed to avoid oxygen exposure. Room temperature is ok, but 14°C is optimal.

VEGAN

out the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with kitchen towels. Allow to dry for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. 3 Fill a heavy mediumsized pot, approx. halfway with olive oil. Heat the oil over a medium heat until a thermometer registers 180°C. Fry the potato wedges in batches, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, approx. 10-12 minutes per batch. Return the oil to 180°C between batches. 4 Transfer the potatoes to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top with sun-dried olives and rosemary sprigs. Season with wild garlic sea salt flakes and serve immediately.

Leftover frying oil is still good for at least one reuse for a similar dish. Let it cool, then strain through a sieve lined with a cheesecloth.

Store in a closed container until it’s used again.

Note: discard when the colour or smell changes.

Crispy olive oil fried potato wedges

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DRESS If you have tasted olive oil with balsamic vinegar – the two staying separate in the bowl but conjoining on the palate, like an edible yin-yang – then you already know it makes a perfect base for emulsions.

High-quality EVOO is the perfect primer for dressings, too.

STORAGE Transfer your dressing to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Shake well before each use.

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Citrus zest or juice A squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange for brightness

Honey or maple syrup 1-2 teaspoons for sweetness VEGAN

CLASSIC OLIVE OIL SALAD DRESSING Prep time: 5 minutes Makes: 75ml 4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tbsp vinegar of your choice (red grape vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white grape vinegar) SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

Garlic 1 clove, crushed

SpinneysFOOD Fine Black Pepper, to taste

Herbs Fresh or dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, or basil for added flavour

1 In a bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar and seasoning. 2 Use this dressing as is, or customise it by adding one or more of the following ingredients based on your preferences:

Shallots or onion Finely diced for a mild onion flavour

Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon for a hint of tanginess and added emulsification

RATIOS TO REMEMBER: Experiment with these ratios and adjust them according to your taste preferences. Remember, the key to a good dressing is balance, so taste as you go and make it your own.

Classic ratio: (3:1)

Balanced ratio: (1:1)

Tangy ratio: (2:1) 1 part vinegar

1 part vinegar Equal parts vinegar 3 parts oil Equal parts oil

2 parts oil

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Whipped olive oil dip with green olive breadsticks

WHIPPED OLIVE OIL DIP WITH GREEN OLIVE BREADSTICKS Prep time: 35 minutes Cook time: 10-15 minutes in the oven or on the barbecue Makes: 250g dip; 12 breadsticks

VEGGIE

For the whipped olive oil dip 200g margarine spread, room temperature (we used Bertolli original margarine) 6 tbsp fruity extra virgin olive oil A pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt For the green olive breadsticks 100g green olives 250g SpinneysFOOD Self-Raising Flour, plus extra for dusting 250g SpinneysFOOD Plain Greek Yoghurt 12 olive branches or skewers, approx. 10cm long

COOK’S NOTE

1 Using an electric mixer, whip the margarine spread until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the olive oil until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with the salt and set aside.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6, or prepare the barbecue for medium heat.

3 Finely chop the green olives. 4 Combine the flour and yoghurt in a mixing bowl. Stir until a soft dough forms. Gently fold in the finely chopped olives. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Divide it into 12 equal parts, rolling each into a 10cm-long strip. Wrap each strip around an olive branch or skewer. 5 To bake them in the oven, line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the raw breadsticks on the tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. To cook over the barbecue, place directly on the grill, turning occasionally, for approx. 10 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. 6 Serve the warm breadsticks with the whipped olive oil dip.

You can also use butter instead of the margarine.

Make sure to choose an unsalted butter and adjust the seasoning to taste.

W H I P & DI P

Award-winning chefs such as Seamus Mullen have lately popularised whipped olive oil as a sweet or savoury game-changer. Use a handheld mixer to beat fruity oil into powdered sugar and heavy cream; whisk with butter and salt for a soft spread, or with garlic and herbs to make a great dip.

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Poach

TOP TIP! The infused oil can be used for cooking or as a delicious drizzle for salads and roasted vegetables. Ensure the garlic cloves are fully submerged in the oil to prevent spoilage.

Confit garlic

Another time-honoured French technique for cooking meat or seafood in light liquid – traditionally a broth – poaching also lends itself well to olive oil. An EVOO will penetrate deeply into a rich-flavoured, firm-textured fish such as salmon or tuna for a lovely velvety finish.

OLIVE OIL POACHED SALMON Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 4 salmon fillets (approx. 150g each), skin-on SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 1 head of garlic 1 lemon

CO N FIT

Confit usually means cooking fowl in its own fat, but olive oil makes a fine substitute. Slow-roast root vegetables in a deep bath of oil and you’ve got yourself a superb meatless confit.

CONFIT GARLIC Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes Makes: approx. 250ml

VEGAN

100g whole garlic cloves 375ml SpinneysFOOD Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4-6 sprigs of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme 2 SpinneysFOOD Bay Leaves 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Whole Black Peppercorns Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

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1 Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2.

2 Peel the garlic, ensuring they are whole and intact. 3 In a small, oven-safe dish, combine the garlic, oil, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Cover with aluminium foil and place the dish in the oven for approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are soft and golden brown. Stir occasionally for even cooking. 4 Remove from the oven and allow the confit garlic to cool to room temperature.

Transfer to a sterilised jar with a tight-fitting lid.

5 Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

1 red onion 2 baby fennel 500ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill To serve Lemon wedges

1 Preheat the oven to 120°C, lowest gas mark. 2 Season the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper. Slice the head of garlic in half. Zest the lemon. Slice the onion and baby fennel. 3 Pour the olive oil into an ovensafe deep roasting dish. Add in the garlic, dill, lemon zest, onion and fennel. Place the seasoned salmon fillets, skin side down, into the olive oil mixture. Ensure that the salmon is fully submerged in the olive oil. 4 Transfer the pan to the oven. Poach the salmon for approx. 15-20 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Using a spatula, transfer the poached salmon fillets to serving plates. 5 Strain the poaching liquid and drizzle over the salmon fillets. 6 Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

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POACH

Olive oil poached salmon

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BA K E

TOP TIP! Dough balls can be frozen for up to 1 month.

More and more chefs have taken to using olive oil in baking.

Where an emulsion such as butter can add a certain density to breads and cakes, olive oil brings softness and moisture by way of 100 per cent fat. It may seem an odd ingredient for our cookie recipe below, but it makes sense if you think of olive oil as essentially fruit juice, mixing beautifully with dark chocolate and sea salt.

OLIVE OIL CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Olive oil chocolate chunk cookies

2 tsp vanilla extract 150g 70% dark chocolate SpinneysFOOD Natural Sea Salt Flakes, for topping

Prep time: 40 minutes Chill time: 30 minutes to overnight Cook time: 9-11 minutes Makes: 20 cookies

VEGGIE

230g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt 100ml fruity extra virgin olive oil 175g packed SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar 50g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar 1 SpinneysFOOD Large Egg, at room temperature 1 SpinneysFOOD Large Egg yolk, at room temperature

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1 Whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside. 2 In a mixing bowl, mix together olive oil, brown sugar and white sugar until evenly moistened. Add the egg and egg yolk, beating at a high speed for 30-60 seconds until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing at a low speed until almost incorporated. 3 Roughly chop the chocolate then fold into the cookie dough, reserving a small handful for topping, if desired. Cover the dough tightly with cling film and chill for

at least 30 minutes, or overnight for enhanced flavour. 4 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5 Using a cookie scoop, scoop out the dough (approx. 2 tbsp each) and shape into smooth balls. Arrange on the baking sheets, leaving enough space between each ball. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and the edges golden brown. For frozen dough, add 2 extra minutes of baking time. Before removing from the oven, drop the pan from a few centimetres height onto the rack to deflate any puffiness. 6 Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Freeze

PISTACHIO, SAFFRON, AND OLIVE OIL ICE CREAM

Olive oil complements ice cream with a wholly different kind of fat – spicy viscosity melding with rich, sweet dairy. You can parlay that flavour into sorbet too, where a frozen blend of olive oil with lemon zest, egg whites and water makes a fine summer dessert.

Prep time: 20 minutes Chilling time: 4-6 hours Churn time: 20-25 minutes Serves: 8

VEGGIE

½ tsp saffron threads 4 tbsp hot water 60g shelled pistachios 400ml double cream 100ml milk 100ml crème fraîche 125g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar 200g SpinneysFOOD Mascarpone ¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Natural Sea Salt Flakes 4 tbsp intense extra virgin olive oil To serve Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Natural Sea Salt Flakes

COOK’S NOTE

For a decadent touch, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the scoops before serving.

Pistachio, saffron and olive oil ice cream

1 In a small bowl, steep the saffron threads in hot water. Allow it to cool, creating a saffron infusion. 2 Toast the pistachios in a dry pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Allow them to cool, then finely chop. 3 In a large bowl, combine double cream, milk, crème fraîche, caster sugar, mascarpone and salt. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Pour in the olive oil and the cooled saffron infusion (including saffron threads). Mix well to incorporate the flavours evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. This allows the flavours to meld and intensify. 4 Transfer the chilled mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. If you don’t have an ice cream machine, transfer the mixture into two freezer bags and freeze lying flat on a baking sheet. Once frozen, break up the chunks of ice cream and place in a blender. Blitz until smooth, then follow the rest of the following instructions.

During the last few minutes of churning, add the finely chopped toasted pistachios to the ice cream maker, allowing them to be evenly distributed. 5 Transfer the churned ice cream to a container with a lid. Smooth the top and cover it with parchment paper before sealing it with the lid. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm. 6 Scoop the ice cream into bowls or cones.

Sprinkle over salt flakes and serve immediately.

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SI P

TREND ALERT EVOlution, Oliveto, Alligator Alley … these are just some of the

The health-giving properties of olive oil have made it a kind of tonic for some, who drink small quantities daily to help regulate digestion, boost the their immune system, or nourish skin and hair. The bigger trend, however, is to add olive oil into mixed drinks for enhanced flavour and texture.

cocktails invented or inspired by the New York bartenders who started mixing drinks with olive oil a few years ago. Some of the world’s best bars will sometimes infuse spirits with the oil before serving, adding drops onto the surface of the drink for an aesthetic-dramatic effect,

Basil, lemon and olive oil margarita mocktail

or even blending some in the shaker. But the upshot is usually an added richness and fruitiness in the flavour, and an extravelvety mouthfeel. Some of the most striking olive oil cocktails add further intensity by way of pickle brine, cucumber, or aromatic bitters, which enhance, not dominate the flavour profile of the cocktail.

D ID Y O U K N O W?

BASIL, LEMON AND OLIVE OIL MARGARITA MOCKTAIL

To serve

Prep time: 10 minutes

1 To make the sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat. Set aside to allow to cool. 2 Juice the lemons. 3 In a cocktail shaker, muddle the basil leaves gently with the lemon juice and sugar syrup. Add the olive oil and a handful of ice cubes to the shaker. Shake well until the mixture is well combined and chilled.

4 Place fresh ice cubes in the glasses. Strain the mocktail mixture into the glasses. Top up with sparkling water to your desired level.

Add a couple of basil leaves and a slice of lemon in each glass. 5 Serve immediately.

Serves: 2

Lemon slices

VEGAN

For the sugar syrup 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar 2 tbsp water For the mocktail 2 large lemons 4-6 SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil, plus more for serving 4 tbsp sugar syrup 2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil SpinneysFOOD Ice Cubes Sparkling water

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Major growing nations such as Italy and Spain are home to olive oil schools that train and certify sommeliers. As with their counterparts in the wine industry, these professionals can identify oils by their fragrances and flavour profiles, and make food pairing recommendations – they’re now very much in demand at high-end restaurants, delis and production facilities.

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FI N D O N E YO U Personal taste, and the requirements of a given recipe, will dictate which olive oil you want to use for cooking and finishing, so take some time to consider compatible flavours…

love

PUNGENT AND PEPPERY

GRASSY AND FRUITY

FRUITY AND SPICY

If you’re cooking fatty meats, deep greens or deeply flavoured Mediterranean dishes, you want a spicier oil that holds up to bolder flavours. Drop into heavy stews and drizzle over strong cheeses for an added pungency and complex notes of chocolate or black pepper.

Grassier oils tend to enhance chicken dishes but are also the best bet for dessert – drizzled over fresh fruit, chocolate, or ice cream. Their comparative lightness and mildness makes them easily adaptable to marinades, salad dressings, roast veg and grilled meats.

Oils labelled ‘balanced’ or ‘medium’ will smoothly split the difference between fruit and spice, often adding hints of nuts or herbs without hitting the peppery notes that can overwhelm a more delicate dish.

5 7 4 2

1

3

6

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 1 Muraglia Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 Marqués de Valdueza Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 3 Darmmess Early Harvest Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 4 SpinneysFOOD Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 5 Costa d'Oro Biologica Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 6 LIÁ Premium Edition Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 7 Cobram Estate Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

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Va l e n t i n e ’s D a y Surprise your better half with a ‘romantic’ starter, main and desserts inspired by social media trends and folklore

Persian love cake

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Wedding soup

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There’s a mythic whiŽ of Scheherazade around the various suggested origins for Persian love cake, one of which tells of a beauty who baked it for the prince, infused with a kind of magic love potion.

PERSIAN LOVE CAKE

WEDDING SOUP

There’s a mythic whiff of Scheherazade around the

Served in times past to the honoured guests of Italian

various suggested origins for Persian love cake, one

royal weddings, this heady broth of meat and greens

of which tells of a beauty who baked it for the prince,

became known as minestra maritata, or “married

infused with a kind of magic love potion that made him

soup” (later slightly mistranslated to its present name in

hers forever. Even if we stick to the more commonly

English). Still massively popular among Italian families

used real-world ingredients, the recipe has undergone

in the United States and across the diaspora, it’s often

various changes across multiple cultures, with semolina

held up as a prime example of native cuisine that

added in 16th-century Sri Lanka, and rose water in later

has survived the passage of time and distance almost

Iranian incarnations.

perfectly unchanged.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8-10

Serves: 4-6

For the cake

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

200g almond flour

400g SpinneysFOOD Beef Meatballs

165g fine semolina

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Baking Powder

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

½ tsp ground nutmeg

2 medium carrots

½ tsp ground cardamom

1 leek

120g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter, at room temperature

2 celery stalks

150g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

100g fresh spinach

150g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

1 sprig SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme

2 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

2L chicken stock

1 orange

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

250g SpinneysFOOD Greek-Style Natural Yoghurt

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Prep time: 15 minutes

50g slivered pistachios

150g small pasta (such as orzo, stellini etc)

Cook time: 25 minutes

50g SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated

Serves: 4

1 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and cook until browned, turning every now and then, approx. 5 minutes. Remove the cooked meatballs from the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining meatballs. The meatballs won’t be cooked through at this point, they’ll continue to cook through in the soup. 2 While the meatballs are browning, peel and finely dice the carrots, slice the leek and celery. Wash and roughly chop the spinach. 3 Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Add in the carrots, leeks, celery and thyme. Sauté until softened, approx. 5-10 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add in the pasta and meatballs and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the meatballs have cooked through, approx.10 minutes. Add in the spinach during the last minute of cooking.

4 Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle over the grated cheese. Serve immediately.

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the syrup 85ml lemon juice 70g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar 1 tsp rose water For the toppings 80g pistachios 3 tbsp rose petals

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

Grease and line a 22cm cake pan. 2 In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, semolina, baking powder, nutmeg and cardamom. 3 Using an electric beater, beat the butter and both sugars until well incorporated. Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is smooth. Zest the orange over the mixture. Add the yoghurt and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until well combined. Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the surface. 4 Sprinkle the pistachios over the top.

5 Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

6 Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place the lemon juice and sugar in a small pot over a medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until slightly reduced. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water. 7 While the cake is still hot, use a skewer to poke 30-40 holes all over the cake, poking all the way through. Pour the warm syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to soak in the syrup for at least 1 hour before removing it from the pan. 8 Meanwhile, crush the pistachios. 9 Once the cake has cooled completely, sprinkle over the crushed pistachios.

Top with the rose petals and serve.

MARRY-ME CHICKEN This might be too bold a proposition for a first date, although lifelong romance has surely been built on flimsier beginnings than a great meal. It’s a Tuscan-style chicken recipe created in 2016 by Lindsay Funston, then an editor at the popular online cooking platform Delish. The dish itself became a viral sensation, with the name taken from a quote by Funston’s producer: “I’d marry you for that chicken.”

8 chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil Handful of fresh oregano 100g SpinneysFOOD Sun-Dried Tomatoes 250ml chicken stock 250ml double cream 100g SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli To serve SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil, optional

1 In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium-high heat. 2 Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Place the chicken pieces in the pan and cook for approx.

6-7 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through and have a golden-brown crust. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside. 3 Finely chop the fresh herbs.

4 Using the same pan in which the chicken was cooked, add in the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes to release their flavour. Pour in the chicken stock, double cream, grated cheese, fresh herbs and chilli flakes. Stir the mixture and bring it to a gentle simmer. 5 Return the cooked chicken pieces to the pan and let them simmer in the creamy sauce for an additional 5-7 minutes to heat through and absorb the flavours. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

6 Scatter over fresh basil leaves and serve.

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Marry-me chicken

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Romeo’s kisses and Juliet’s sighs

ROMEO’S KISSES AND JULIET’S SIGHS (I BACI DI ROMEO E GIULIETTA) William Shakespeare never travelled to Verona, nor any other foreign destination where he set his plays.

Even so, that city takes a certain pride serving as the backdrop to the greatest doomed romance of all time.

These chocolate and almond cookies represent the star-crossed lovers by way of a gift-giving tradition between local couples, with ‘sighs’ for modern Juliets and ‘kisses’ for their Romeos. In this instance, we have locked both together in a single baked embrace.

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 25 minutes Makes: 20 cookies 240g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar 180g blanched almonds 140g skinned hazelnuts 280g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour 300g cold SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter 2 large egg yolks 25g coconut flour 1 tbsp vanilla extract 15g cocoa powder 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Instant Coffee For the ganache filling 150ml single cream 70g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

200g dark chocolate chips 40g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

1 In a food processor, combine the sugar, almonds, hazelnuts and flour. Pulse until the texture is sandy. Add the cold cubed butter and blend until combined. Add the egg yolks and pulse until combined. Remove half the mixture from the processor and set aside.

Add the coconut flour and vanilla extract to the processor then pulse. This mixture will be for Juliet’s kisses. Remove the mixture and set aside. 2 Return the reserved mixture to the food processor and add the cocoa powder and instant coffee. Blend until smooth. Remove the dough from the food processor. Cover both doughs with cling film and refrigerate for approx. 30 minutes. 3 To make the filling, heat the cream and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until it’s almost boiling. Add the dark chocolate and butter to the hot cream mixture. Using an immersion blender, blitz everything together until you have a smooth ganache. Set it aside. 4 Preheat the oven to 160°C, gas mark 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 5 Take both doughs out of the refrigerator. Shape them into small balls or curls using a piping bag. Place the shaped biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for 2025 minutes, or until they are just set – they will still be soft. Remove the biscuits from the oven

and allow them to cool completely. 6 Once the biscuits are cool, pair each dark biscuit with one light biscuit. Spoon a little of the prepared ganache on to the centre of one biscuit from each pair. Gently press the two biscuits together, creating a ‘kiss’ with the ganache in the centre. Allow the ganache to solidify slightly. 7 Store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

These cookies represent the starcrossed lovers by way of a gift-giving tradition between local couples, with ‘sighs’ for modern Juliets and ‘kisses’ for their Romeos.

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Little cooks Easy bean and Harvest Hero vegetable recipes for plant-based, protein-packed kids’ meals

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TOP TIP! This recipe makes a large batch so divide it into portions and freeze for a quick mid-week meal.

Five bean chilli sin carne with tortilla chips

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Crispy white bean nuggets with home-made ketchup

FIVE BEAN CHILLI SIN CARNE WITH TORTILLA CHIPS This chilli sin carne also makes delicious sloppy Joes when spooned onto fresh crusty rolls.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Serves: 6

VEGAN

For the chilli sin carne 1 large white onion 3 garlic cloves 1 red capsicum 1 yellow capsicum 1 carrot 1 courgette

1 Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Core and dice the capsicums. Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and dice the courgette. Defrost the sweetcorn. Drain and rinse the beans and chickpeas. 2 In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until softened. Add the capsicum, carrot and courgette. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir in all the beans and chickpeas, followed by the tomatoes, stock and tomato paste. Add the spices and seasoning. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Allow the mixture to cook for 15-20 minutes so that the flavours come together. 3 Ladle the chilli sin carne into bowls, and serve with the crispy tortilla chips and lime wedges on the side.

165g frozen sweetcorn 1 x 400g tin butterbeans 1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Red Kidney Beans

CRISPY WHITE BEAN NUGGETS WITH HOME-MADE KETCHUP

1 x 400g tin borlotti beans 1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Cannellini Beans

These tasty nuggets freeze extremely well. Lay them out

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas

on a lined baking sheet after they’ve been crumbed

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

and freeze until firm. Place in a resealable bag and

2 x 400g tins SpinneysFOOD Chopped Italian Tomatoes

store in the freezer until needed.

125ml vegetable stock

Prep time: 15 minutes

2 tbsp tomato paste

Cook time: 10 minutes

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

Makes: 20

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder, optional 1 tsp smoked paprika

For the nuggets

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

175g cauliflower

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

1 carrot 1 garlic clove

To serve

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

Tortilla chips

1 x 400g tin white beans

Lime wedges

70g SpinneysFOOD Mild Cheddar Grated

VEGGIE

3 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs 140g breadcrumbs 50g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep frying For the home-made ketchup 1 brown onion 1 garlic clove 1 carrot 280g tomato purée 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar 2 tbsp white vinegar SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 Discard the leaves and hard stem of the cauliflower. Peel the carrot. Grate both veggies.

Peel the garlic. Chop the parsley. 2 Drain and rinse the white beans then place them in a food processor. Blitz until smooth, then add the grated vegetables, cheese, parsley,1 egg and 40g of the breadcrumbs. Pulse (don’t blend) until combined.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Shape the mixture into nuggets. 3 Whisk the remaining 2 eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Place the remaining breadcrumbs and flour into two separate bowls.

Dip the nuggets in the flour first, then beaten eggs followed by the breadcrumbs. 4 Place on a lined baking sheet. Heat a large pot of oil for deepfrying. 5 Meanwhile, peel the onion, garlic and carrot. Place in a blender along with the tomato purée. Blitz until smooth. Place in a small pot over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. After 15 minutes, add the sugar, vinegar and seasoning.

6 Once the oil is hot, deep-fry the nuggets, in

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combined. 4 Shape the mixture into walnut-sized ‘meatballs’. Place the meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes. 5 Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. 6 Fry the meatballs, for 4-5 minutes, until evenly browned.

Remove from the pan and place in a large oven-proof dish. 7 Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 8. 8 Place the Napoletana sauce in a large pan and heat until simmering. Pour over the meatballs. 9 Place in the oven for approx.

10 minutes. 10 Chop the parsley and zest the lemon. Scatter over the meatballs and serve.

CHIPOTLE KIDNEY BEAN SMASH BURGERS Making these burger patties smash-style gives them crispy edges.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

Italian ‘meatballs’ with blackbeans

TOP TIP!

VEGGIE

2 x 400g tins SpinneysFOOD Red Kidney Beans 1 small red onion 2 garlic cloves

Top the ‘meatballs’ with grated mozzarella cheese, if desired, before baking.

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 60g breadcrumbs 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

batches, until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain. 7 Serve the crispy white bean nuggets with the home-made ketchup.

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

20g SpinneysFOOD Parmiggiano Reggiano Grated

4 slices white cheese

1 tbsp Vegemite or Marmite

4 SpinneysFOOD Burger Buns

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 baby gem lettuce

ITALIAN ‘MEATBALLS’ WITH BLACKBEANS

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, to taste

4 tbsp chipotle mayo

Make this recipe vegan by swapping out the egg for 1

To serve

flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed with

SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

3 tablespoons of water) and the Parmigianno Reggiano

1 lemon

345g SpinneysFOOD Napoletana Sauce

cheese for vegan cheese.

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time) Cook time: 25 minutes Serves: 4

VEGGIE 1 red onion 2 garlic cloves 50g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley 1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds 4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 120g black beans 100g Panko breadcrumbs 250g SpinneysFOOD Ricotta

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1 Peel and finely dice the red onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Finely chop the parsley. Lightly crush the fennel seeds. 2 Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized pan over a mediumlow heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for a further 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside to cool.

3 Drain and rinse the black beans then place in a food processor along with the onion, garlic and remaining ingredients, reserving the remaining olive oil and Napoletana sauce. Blitz until

1 Drain and rinse the kidney beans and place in a large bowl. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. 2 Using a fork or potato masher, mash the kidney beans, but leave some texture. Add the onion, garlic, chipotle pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, egg, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Divide the mixture into four 35g equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball. 3 In a pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Place the balls in the pan and press down with the back of a spatula. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through. Top with the cheese slices and allow to melt. 4 Slice and toast the burger buns. 5 Place a burger patty on the bottom half of each bun. Top with lettuce leaves and mayonnaise then cover with the top half of the buns. Serve while hot.

LITTLE COOKS

Chipotle kidney bean smash burgers

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CREAMY MAGIC BEAN PASTA

TOP TIP!

Kids will never know that this creamy cheesy sauce is

This cannellini bean ‘white sauce’ is perfect for using in lasagne or mac ‘n’ cheese to increase the nutritional values of these dishes.

actually loaded with good-for-them beans.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 250g SpinneysFOOD Spinach Ricotta Ravioli

VEGGIE For the creamy cannellini sauce 2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 x 400g tins SpinneysFOOD Cannellini Beans 250ml vegetable stock 125ml SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Milk (or plant-based milk)

Creamy magic bean pasta

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated or nutritional yeast SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste 1 tbsp lemon juice To serve SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated or vegan Parmesan cheese

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the ravioli pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2 Mince the garlic. 3 In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cannellini beans, stock, milk, cheese or nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the beans are heated through.

4 Carefully transfer the bean mixture to a blender. Blitz until smooth and creamy. If needed, add more vegetable stock to reach your desired consistency. 5 Pour the creamy cannellini sauce over the cooked pasta. Gently toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Add lemon juice for a touch of brightness. 6 Chop the parsley. 7 Serve the pasta topped with parsley and extra cheese.

Stock up on plant-protein with these beans.

SpinneysFOOD Organic Chickpeas

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SpinneysFOOD Cannellini Beans

SpinneysFOOD Organic Red Kidney Beans

Waitrose Duchy Organic But ter Beans

Epicure Organic Black Beans

Live well Meet Dubai’s Japanese tea master, ferment with Tabchilli, feast in the Maldives and find peace in Bhutan

COMO Shambala Retreat at COMO Uma Punakha

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THIS PAGE, CLOCK WISE FROM TOP LEF T: Terroir plays an important role in tea production; founder of Ikigaicha, Viktor yia Toma, while on a tour of Japan; matcha tea; Viktor yia is keen to share the diversit y of Japanese teas.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Viktor yia hosts workshops at the Ikigaicha Japanese tea & food boutique in Dubai.

From leaf to cup Founder of Dubai-based Ikigaicha Japanese tea & food boutique, Viktoryia Toma, unlocks the secrets of Japanese teas and shares insights into the world of sencha, matcha and more…

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Writ ten by Dev ina Divecha ; Photography by Shut terstock.com, & Inkiostri

I

n a quiet and unassuming corner of Dubai, Viktoryia Toma – the official representative of the Global Japanese Tea Association in Kyoto, Japan – has embarked on a journey to redefine perceptions of Japanese teas by opening a Japanese tea and food boutique store: Ikigaicha. At this boutique, the island’s diverse tapestry of teas – and corresponding pottery – is meticulously logged, detailed and shared with anyone who wants to explore more.

The venue Viktoryia has chosen in Barsha South is a calm space; the open plan design allows for the browsing of teas, detailed maps and brewing equipment. But it’s the workshops and masterclasses that have also found full favour with tea-curious people. Sharing knowledge about tea is a clear passion for her, and she starts by sharing the diversity of what Japanese varietals can offer.

A conversation sparks over a sparkling tea that blends organic sencha and premium matcha, where the resulting brew is a perfect balance of flavours without additives or excessive sugars. This is a great way, she says, to introduce children to the wonders of the beverage at an early age. “We have hosted some tea masterclasses for kids with sparkling teas and they like to add fruits, for example.

I converted my children as well; they now opt for sparkling tea instead of soft drinks.”

The discussion soon shifts to the cultural significance – and the spread – of Japanese teas. “Japanese tea has more than 130 cultivars, which are regionality-specific,” she states. Viktoryia delights in delving into the nuances and distinctiveness of teas from various regions, and adds, “You can definitely appreciate the simplicity of every tea – there are always common traits. But as your tastes unfold, you will find more provocative flavours and a different appreciation.” She likens shopping for tea to shopping for cheeses or olive oils. “You will find that 95 per cent of all teas come from 15 prefectures in Japan, and you’ll see that there is an effect of terroir in tea,” she adds. The Ikigaicha founder stresses on the significance of understanding origin and traceability as much as possible, especially in light of Japan’s efforts to maintain authenticity in a crowded market.

Like many traditional industries, Japan’s tea growing sector faces a certain set of challenges.

Viktoryia sheds light on the declining production, aging farmers and the struggle to attract younger generations into tea cultivation.

However, with the latter there is a reverse trend in progress. “There’s a new generation of tea farmers who are moving back to the countryside – even those whose families have never been a part of the tea industry. It’s really inspiring for others, and the more they are supported, the more others will do the same,” she says.

So really, it’s not all doom and gloom: Viktoryia highlights the recent surge in global appreciation for Japanese teas, bolstered by celebrity chefs and F&B connoisseurs who

incorporate tea rituals into their culinary experiences – including home-grown chefs such as Reif Othman at Tero or Itadaku in Dubai. Viktoryia notes that most restaurants will merely include a token few black and green teas on the menu and stop there. But she says this is changing slowly. “Chef Reif is one of the iconic chefs of the region and he does appreciate tea so at Tero, instead of serving teas in a traditional way, we added the element of sparkling, a cold brew and more.

The traditional Japanese restaurant Itadaku has also been serving sparkling tea. Sushisamba also offers a wide selection of authentic Japanese teas. I’m really glad that this trend is being picked up and more chefs – across all nationalities – are starting to use the tea in an elevated way.”

It’s impossible to have a conversation about Japanese teas without talking about matcha.

Producing this tea, as other varieties, involves a meticulous production method right from the start. The tea bushes that will yield matcha need to be shaded (either with traditional bamboo screens or synthetic covers) which helps with stimulating chlorophyll production and enhances

amino acid levels, especially L-theanine. This is what creates matcha’s signature umami flavour and vibrant green colour. The leaves are harvested and processed to create ‘tencha’, which are then ground in a labour-intensive process to create matcha.

Viktoryia admits that many people have misconceptions about matcha and associate it with a dusty, grassy or overly bitter taste. She stresses that this can stem from lower quality grade matcha or improper storage, which leads to degradation of taste. “The quality of matcha should be so good that you can use it in tea ceremonies, you can use it either as a thick or thin matcha. You should be able to enjoy the flavours and not feel the chalkiness or bitterness that low-grade quality delivers.”

As Viktoryia wraps up by serving a set of matcha-themed desserts (cheesecake and tiramisu), she smiles and concludes, “It’s all about hospitality; you are taking your omotenashi, which is about bringing the experience to the guests, to the next level.”

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DON’T MISS Follow Viktoriya @ikigaishu and @ikigaicha_by_ikigaishu on Instagram for masterclass and product information.

Listen out for our podcast interview with Viktoriya in January.

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C U L I NARY

chemistry

Maher El Tabchy is the founder of Dubai’s fermentation hotspot, Tabchilli; he’s eager to share his knowledge about the natural process and champions a return to savouring food, slowly

Writ ten by Dev ina Divecha ; Photography by Aasiya Jagadeesh

M

aher El Tabchy is the visionary behind Tabchilli, a venue where you can find a variety of fermented goods and gourmet hot sauces and learn about the fermentation process through a series of workshops. So really, Maher has established more than just a space for fermentation — it’s a community movement and an educational spot. “I wanted to show people – with full transparency – how fermentation works, and I host workshops to educate people so they can share that knowledge with their friends and family,” he says, “I also host pop-ups to allow chefs to get creative with it, and how to educate consumers on fermented foods. It’s really a passion project.” This can be seen with the name, Tabchilli, too; the founder smiles and says, “Tabchy is my family name, so I combined that with the word ‘chilli’ and Tabchilli was born.”

Maher’s initiation into fermentation wasn’t a sudden revelation – but the result of a seed planted in his childhood. “I have the love of fermentation from my mother and grandmother who used to ferment pickles and preserve over the seasons. We also always had chilli on the table. I always enjoyed fermenting and so I really had a soft spot for having so many jars in the house.”

Because of this life experience with fermenting, Maher can honestly say that the process is “trial and error”. He explains, “Do your research, read your books, learn online.

But if you don’t do it by yourself, you will never understand how to play with the parameters – time, temperature, textures, flavours and salt level. All of those are personal and there’s never one exact recipe.”

Maher shares an example: “One time I had a couple who were creating the same kimchi but ended up producing different flavours because of the bacteria temperature.” He adds, “That is what’s beautiful about it; fermentation becomes very individual as a process.”

There might be misconceptions surrounding fermentation, and Maher is keen to demystify them. For example, how to tell if a fermented

product is safe to consume. He notes, “When something goes really off or bad, which is mould for example, it causes you to be sick.

Mould is something you can see, but how do you prevent this?” He says it’s important to have the correct amount of salt to start the process, but testing pH levels is extremely advantageous.

“One thing we do is test the pH levels. If it’s below 4.6, it means it’s safe to eat.”

The passion spills through as he continues to detail the difference between pickling and fermenting. “Pickling involves adding vinegar to a product, but vinegar is sterile. If you add vinegar, you’re killing the bacteria. So once you add vinegar to cucumbers and put them in a jar, in two days you get the sour notes that pickling is known for. Fermenting vegetables involves adding salt, water and a few spices. The flavour will take some time to evolve.”

It’s obvious to anyone in Maher’s presence that he eager to share his learnings. He outlines three types of vegetable fermentation techniques; the first two are dry salting and brining, and the third Maher likes to call ‘the kimchi compromise’, which is a combination of the first two.

Along the way, he peppers in information related to the type of water you need to use (non-chlorinated and mineral-rich is best), the type of salt that works best (sea salt not table salt as the latter has iodine which will interfere with the process), the optimal temperature for kimchi (he prefers 22°C), and more. He adds, “Always remember that you are creating a microbiome which has bacteria which want to flourish without any interference.”

It’s commonly believed that eating fermented food is good for your gut. Maher says that while he cannot comment on how much fermented food should be consumed per day, for example, he thinks that “fermented food definitely is good for one’s diet”. He adds, “Many people who come for our workshops are here to enhance their diet with fermented food.”

The two-and-a-half hour-long workshops are packed with information as well as practical experimentation, and the eager students go home with their jars filled with fermented products.

Maher is hands-on: he checks in a few days after the workshop to make sure all is going to plan. “I want to make sure they’re confident and happy with what’s happening. I want people to be confident with what they’re making,” he says.

Beyond what he does, Maher is hopeful for a larger shift in people’s attitudes towards embracing fermented foods. He notes, “I have always wanted to have a small hub for fermentation; it’s not just a shop, I want it to be a movement of fermented food. I believe that fermented food should be available everywhere and shouldn’t be reserved to a niche space.”

Maher isn’t merely championing a method but a philosophy – a return to slower, more mindful consumption. He says, “Fermented food is not new. But now we are in the era of wanting things very quickly. We no longer appreciate or take the time for slow food. What is nice about fermentation is that it’s the passing on of tradition.”

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DON’T MISS Tabchilli’s fermentation and culinary workshops are great experiences.

Follow @tabchilli to keep track of dates.

Scan to listen to our podcast interview with Maher where he delves into the history and intricacies of fermentation.

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ISLAND

bites

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On a recent trip to Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa, deputy editor Karen D’Souza experienced the resort’s culinary season, which included a 5-course dinner by an award-winning visiting chef, a picnic on a private island and a party to celebrate the endless Maldivian summer

Writ ten by Karen D'Souza ; Photography Karen D'Souza & Supplied

S

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Scallops in truffle dashi with truffle shavings and radish parcels; interiors of Tabemasu; chef Soenil Bahadoer touring the resort’s greenhouse.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa is surrounded by a spectacular lagoon rich in marine life.

avour the good life is the guiding mantra at Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa. And that’s exactly what I intend to do over four days at this property where relaxation is the order of each day. I am lucky enough to be visiting at the same time as award-winning chef Soenil Bahadoer, who has been invited to create exquisite meals, so guests have a chance to enjoy award-winning fare during their island holiday.

I step off the seaplane to a warm welcome by the GM and his team, which puts me at ease immediately. En route to my sunrise overwater villa, I catch sight of a baby reef shark and sting ray gliding along in the shallow waters, making me feel like I’ve entered a magical realm.

Chef Soenil, whom I meet later that evening, is equally taken by the property. “This place has an amazing vibe. The beaches are never crowded and the staff are so hospitable. It feels like a warm blanket,” he says.

Born in multi-cultural Suriname to parents of Indian heritage and raised in The Netherlands since the age of eight, chef Soenil describes the food he offers at his 2 Michelin star restaurant De Lindehof as “Surinamese-French cuisine influenced by various cultures”. With a mop of salt-and-pepper curls, an uninhibited laugh and a jovial personality, it’s hard not to be drawn in by his creative genius, which led him to refine his mother’s recipes after he realised he had to change his kitchen and “stop cooking like the rest of the world”. He admits that his Surinamese-Indian background has played a huge role in the chef he is today.

“I brought my mum into my kitchen – she is my best teacher and chef,” he says with pride in his voice. “Even though I was a chef, she would rap me on my knuckles if I did something wrong. Together we refined the dishes of my childhood to showcase them on a global

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Tabemasu serves an array of Japanese cuisine from sashimi and donburi to Wagyu beef tenderloin and unagi don; live cooking station at Au Soleil Fest; gambas al pil pil; take in the scenery from Riviera Tapas and Bar.

platform.” He confesses that diners were initially confused by the flavours of his new menu, “but my food spoke for itself.”

My first meal at Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa is at Velaa Bar & Grill, which opens daily for lunch and dinner. “For lunch, we offer burgers, pizzas, sandwiches...more like fast food. During dinner service, Velaa turns into a grill restaurant, with steaks and seafood,” explains chef Asaf Tasdan, executive chef who oversees all four of the property’s restaurants as well as specially curated private-dining events.

Tonight, Velaa is chef Soenil’s theatre and his five-course set menu has diners buzzing with excitement. Dinner opens with an amuse bouche – featuring a bite-size portion of seabass and langoustine, avocado, a cucumber-based solution and re-imagined tom kha kai – that

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OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP: Oysters topped with ginger sorbet are a refreshing start to chef Soenil’s picnic menu; on-site hydroponic greenhouse.

fills my mouth with light, refreshing flavours.

Soenil’s Indian roots shine in the two dishes that follow: halibut tandoori topped with a sauce that is reminiscent of the silkiest butter chicken gravy; and scallop with marinated pumpkin and mango chutney, which is a medley of textures with a palate-pleasing balance of sweet and sour notes. The third course is buttery Wagyu beef topped with caviar served alongside rendang and a ginger beer sorbet that cuts through the richness of the meat. Goose liver paired with amaretto jelly, amarena cherry and macadamia shavings is the final savoury dish that takes me by surprise – the subtle bitterness of the almond and cherries is the perfect foil to the fattiness of the liver.

I must admit, the closing act was my favourite. I have a weakness for anything sweet, but this dessert was outstanding. Slices of poached wild peach, airy vanilla cream, delicate panna cotta, fresh raspberries and snowy shards of meringue make me want to dive right into the plate, but the taste and textures were equally appealing with the sweet chewiness of the meringue offset by the roasted almond slivers and tartness of the berries.

The following morning, I head to Turquoise, the all-day dining restaurant serving an array of cuisines. I remind myself to eat lightly, since I will be attending a picnic brunch at Bodu Finolhu, the resort’s private island. But it’s hard to resist trying everything once I see the spread – especially mas huni, a traditional Maldivian breakfast dish of shredded tuna mixed with freshly grated coconut, onion and lime juice, which I eat with a soft flatbread called roshi.

Bodu Finolhu is a quick speedboat ride from the property. The water around the island is so shallow that I must jump out of the boat into knee-deep water to reach the beach. Chef Soenil and his team is on hand to greet me with a welcome drink and an appetiser – fresh oysters topped with a zingy ginger sorbet. I am not a

LIVE WELL

fan of this seafood but after hesitantly downing the first, I shamelessly reach for three more.

Both mains prepared by the chef have a medley of flavours and textures, but the scallops and radish parcels in a truffle dashi, topped with truffle shavings is an umami explosion. Not a word is spoken as everyone present savours each mouthful.

Every restaurant on the property has sweeping views of the sea but Riviera Tapas and Bar sits within 10 steps of the waves so I combine an afternoon of gazing at a soothing medley of blues and greens with relishing a Spanish-inspired meal of gambas al pil pil – succulent tiger prawns in a tangy tomato broth topped with fresh microgreens grown in the resort’s greenhouse – served with the kitchen’s signature sourdough bread. “It’s the top seller on the menu,” says chef Asaf. The bread might seem unnecessary at first, but mopping up the broth, after I wolf down the prawns, is half the fun. If I were alone, I’d lift the plate and drink the broth from it.

I notice all the leafy greens and herbs at each meal look like they’ve been freshly harvested.

I assume they’ve been flown in from Malé, but upon asking chef Asaf, he leads to me the climate-controlled greenhouse, where rows upon rows of spearmint, peppermint, basil, coriander, six types of lettuce, spinach, bok choy and more grow in pipes in a hydroponic system, which also captures and recycles rainwater. “We grow more than enough to meet the resort’s needs, and sometimes we supply the other Marriott resorts in the Maldives,” explains horticulturalist Juby Thomas. “And everything is grown without the use of pesticides.”

The greenhouse is one of several sustainable initiatives undertaken by the resort. Food waste produced by its kitchens is segregated and fed into organic waste converters to produce rich compost that is used to fertilise the lush greenery on the island. There’s no trace of plastic bottles on the resort – the RO (reverse osmosis) water bottling plant supplies all the restaurants and villas with freshly bottled water every day.

Solar panels contribute to 25-30 per cent of the total electrical demand thereby reducing fuel consumption and lowering carbon emissions.

Even the fresh tuna sourced for Tabemasu, the resort’s overwater Japanese restaurant, is locally-sourced from Malé. Only open in the evening from 6-10pm, this tastefully designed space has wall-to-ceiling windows so diners can watch the evening sky change from orange, to pink and finally a deep shade of purple.

The menu is extensive, but I narrow down my selection to a marinated seaweed salad that is crunchy and refreshing followed by a veggiefriendly tantanmen soup, which has a base of mildly spiced sesame broth and plenty of texture from bok choy, tofu and mushrooms. The salmon nigiri and my all-time favourite spicy tuna roll don’t disappoint. If you’re struggling to select dishes, throw caution to the wind

and allow the chef to select for you at the teppanyaki station.

While there are close to 200 resorts in the Maldives, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa has cleverly set itself apart by collaborating with award-winning chefs and mixologists from around the world – so guests can participate in masterclasses and experience fine dining during their stay – and hosting programmes such as the Au Soleil Fest.

The fest is a relaxed ‘evening out’ at the resort where guests can try food from live cooking stations offering Indian kebabs, sushi, paella, salads made with fresh veggies from the greenhouse, grilled seafood and more. I spend my last evening here under the stars, breathing in the salty air and trying my best to stamp everything into my memory to last a lifetime.

W I N a stay at Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa Situated on Lhaviyani Atoll, 122km northeast of Malé, the property has 141 guest villas and suites and six restaurants and bars. Guests can try a range of carefully curated spa treatments as well as watersports such as paddleboarding, jetskiing and diving during their stay. The kids’ hub offers an educational and fun-filled schedule seven days a week.

SCAN & WIN

To win a three-night stay at an overwater villa with a half-board meal plan (international flights and seaplane transfers not included), simply scan the QR code and fill in your details. Terms and conditions apply. The winner will be announced in March 2024.

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HAPPINESS 112

Tiffany Eslick’s Bhutan exploration with COMO Hotels reveals a distinct destination where warm locals cherish a deliberate pace, protect their heritage, respect nature and embody a profound understanding of joy

Writ ten by Tif fany Eslick; Photography by Aasiya Jagadessh & supplied

AT N E W H E I G H T S

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T

he block-letter statement “NO HURRY, NO WORRY” marks my introduction to what will be a journey in gentle wisdom from Bhutan.

Hand-painted on a yellow board, it’s one in a series of roadside messages that transcend the typical directives of traffic signs. Instead, they offer blunt, dry, humorous and occasionally life-affirming mantras that echo the philosophy embraced by this remote kingdom.

The country’s unique approach to development, rejecting GDP in favour of gross national happiness has earned itself an intriguing status as a real-life “Shangri-La”. Landlocked and encompassed by the Himalayas, it’s adorned with ancient monasteries, blanketed by forests and fluttering prayer flags abound.

Having opened its borders to the world less than 50 years ago, it has since pursued a holistic measure of prosperity, focusing on the well-being of its citizens and the natural environment, a testament to its commitment to a meaningful and fulfilling existence.

It’s because of COMO Hotels that I have the chance to discover the happiest land on earth. In five days, I’m to journey from Paro to Punakha, with guide Tshering and driver Phurpa, uncovering some of Bhutan’s cultural and natural wonders. Those fortunate enough to have visited before often report on how Bhutan’s unique charm promises a transformative experience, blending luxury with a deeper connection to the country’s soul. I’m on a quest to slow down, embrace its unhurried pace and find joy in simplicity. It’s the latter that holds the most power.

Between landing in the country and taking off once again, there are a lot of ups and downs. But this refers mostly to differences in altitude, rather than emotions. I plummet into Paro – a marvel of an airport that sits at 2,000 metres above sea level and is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Scooped up by Tshering and Phurpa, I’m steered immediately up snake-like mountain roads bound for Dochula Pass. At the top, or 3,140 metres above sea level, I’m standing amid 108 chortens (Buddhist shrines) that honour fallen soldiers, a poignant reminder of Bhutan’s commitment to peace. From this vantage point, the eastern Himalayas – with Gangkhar Puensum, the world’s highest unclimbed mountain and Bhutan’s towering pride – stand beneath a cornflower blue sky.

The brilliant October sunshine makes me squint while taking in the view. And breathing in pristine air from up high is something I almost never experience.

A winding drive down to Punakha Valley reveals the grandeur of the Punakha Dzong, a 300-year-old fortress at the confluence of the pristine Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers. Built in the 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (who founded the Kingdom of Bhutan), it once housed the country’s government. Today it’s the winter home of the dratshang (the official monk body).

COMO Uma Punakha sits in a dramatic location a short drive from this fortress, in a cradle of lush valleys and terraced rice paddies. Having topped many a luxury-travel bucket list over the years, this petite lodge-style property has

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PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Tiger’s Nest clings precariously to the side of a steep cliff; gorgeous views from a treatment room at the spa at COMO Uma Punakha; prayer flags are a common sight throughout the country.

THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Stones used in the traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath; Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten; One of COMO Hotel’s most experienced guides, Tshering; 300-year-old Punakha Dzong fortress; ornate door at the fortress; a meal at Bukhari, COMO Uma Paro’s restaurant comes with splendid views.

FOLLOWING SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Amid the 108 chortens at Dochula Pass; the sprawling terrace at COMO Uma Punakha; the main lodge at COMO Uma Paro; Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten; COMO Uma Punakha sits seamlessly atop terraced rice paddies; harvested rice shaped like a stupa; one of the prayer wheels at the fertility temple; chillies laze in the sun – they’re dried on rooftops.

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T H E C O U N T RY ’ S U N I Q U E A P P R O A C H T O D E V E L O P M E N T, R E J E C T I N G G D P I N FAV O U R O F G R O S S N AT I O N A L H A P P I N E S S HAS EARNED ITSELF AN I N T R I G U I N G S TAT U S A S A REAL-LIFE “SHANGRI-LA”. a small yet sensational spa (a signature massage from therapist Nima should be compulsory) and an equally excellent restaurant, Bukhari. The same outlet (but with its own distinct atmosphere) is found at COMO Uma Paro.

Deciding between Western courses made from produce grown nearby, regionally-inspired dishes influenced by Indian flavours, or Bhutanese specialities such as river weed egg drop soup, braised yak or curries tinged with chillies served over local red rice, is no easy matter.

After breakfast on my first morning in Punakha, Tshering and I set off on a day of exploring. Starting at a suspension bridge, we’re bound for the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a shrine built recently by Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Yangdon. Keeping a moderate pace along rough-hewn paths, we come across women carrying laden cane-woven baskets, the occasional farmer milking his cows, and children playing in the fields or close to mounds of harvested rice shaped like stupas drying in the morning sun. Tshering makes sure we take time to learn about medicinal plants which grow beneath flame-red poinsettias and even banana trees. Halfway up, we stop to circle a spinning golden prayer wheel, its tinkling bell tuning into birdsong as it goes.

It takes an hour or so to reach the multi-storey chorten, depending on fitness and how camera trigger-happy you are. From the shrine’s top, a pictorial gorge unfolds below, with rolling hills and a jade-coloured river gushing beneath.

Inside it are depictions of Buddhist deities meant to protect the country.

Vajrayana Buddhism is the main religion here, introduced in the eighth century

by Guru Padmasambhava.

Spotting my interest in his spirituality, Tshering weaves in information about this throughout our time together. I appreciate his taking me to meet an artist, Yonten, after our morning hike. Yonten is deeply immersed in the vibrant tradition of thangka craft – intricate scroll paintings that are created with mineral pigments and gold leaf. These serve as spiritual artefacts, depicting divinities and scenes from scriptures, while at the same time showcasing his devotion.

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His studio, Vintage Quality Thangka, is not far from Chimmi Lhakhang, a 15th-century fertility temple dedicated to Drukpa Kuenley, the ‘Divine Madman’.

Tshering’s tales of this eccentric Tibetan Buddhist saint who defied convention with unorthodox teachings add an intriguing layer to my visit in Bhutan. There’s enough material to write a whole other story.

Tshering also participates in my propensity for discovering as much of a country’s cuisine as possible – no matter how short the trip. Whether suggesting what to order from COMO’s carefully curated menus, handing me cups of butter tea (like bullet coffee, but with puffed cereals on the side), pointing out garliclike hanging garlands of dried-hard cheese (“they’re like candy, to keep drivers awake”) or sharing a bounty of buckwheat dumplings (hoentey) or short, fat ‘puta’ noodles with me, he certainly plays my game well.

A memorable meal is at Chimmi Lhakhang Home Stay – courtesy of COMO Punakha and Tshering. There, Dago Zam and her husband Tshering Penjor cook up a traditional feast featuring ema datshi – a fiery chilli and cheese stew. It stands as the country’s culinary emblem – and is nothing like I’ve tasted before.

Amid staples like their own red rice, a cucumber salad, a sort of sambal made from sun-dried chillies that were left to laze on the rooftop, and a chicken curry, a surprise lies in fried turnip leaves – Dago’s creative twist adding a unique texture and flavour to this traditional fare.

I

check into COMO Uma Paro for the last leg of my trip. Hidden amid blue pine trees above Paro town, this hillside retreat with a main lodge (once a nobleman’s home) and separate villas, is modelled after a traditional Bhutanese village. Overall, its aesthetic allure marries traditional artisancrafted woodwork and hand-painted walls with sleek mod cons.

Its spa sanctuary – the COMO Shambhala Retreat is an embodiment of the brand’s international wellness ethos. It offers a roster of complimentary evening yoga classes and Asian-inspired spa treatments as well as an exquisite bath house.

For over 13 centuries, hot-stone baths have been an essential element of Bhutanese culture, tracing back to the seventh century and influenced by Tibetan medicine and Indian Ayurveda. The practice combines river water infused with healing plants and tree barks, including the fragrant wormwood. It’s the mineralrich rocks used to heat the water that make this experience distinctive. They’re heated in an open fire outside the facilities, then deposited through a hatch in the wall into a separate section of the bath. As the oddly-shaped white rocks break the water’s surface, they spit and sizzle, heating the water. This sensory bath experience promises to help with the likes of headaches and aching muscles.

Knowing I’ll suffer from both ailments after an imminent gruelling hike, I book a 30-minute session.

Tshering keeps THAT hike to the famous Paro Taktsang or Tiger’s Nest for the last day of my trip. Built in 1692, this sacred Buddhist site sits on a craggy perch at 3,120 metres above sea level and 900 metres above the Paro Valley. Legend

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GETTING THERE Fly to Paro with Drukair or Bhutan Airlines from India, Nepal, Singapore and Thailand. Visit @tourismbhutan on Instagram for more information.

has it that Guru Rinpoche, a revered figure in Buddhism, rode on the back of a flying tigress to this spot where he proceeded to meditate in a cave for three years, three months, three weeks and three days.

Clinging to a precipice in a gravity-defying manner, the Tiger’s Nest is one of the most remarkable feats of architecture in Bhutan.

We begin our pilgrimage at around 8am. I’m raring to go, but have developed the flu overnight, so start with a spinning head and cough – what a disadvantage! It’s a hard, breathless slog to the halfway point. Tshering reminds me softly to take baby steps – what’s the rush? He ensures we stop for snack and water breaks constantly. Phurpa puts his arm out as support for close to every step of the way.

Despite struggling to breathe, I’m adamant to reach the Nest. Thoughts run through my head about how I always reach my goals – and I insist we press on to the next look-out point where it’s suddenly well in sight.

But it’s here I begin to teeter and my pilgrim party draws the line. In Bhutan, time takes on a different rhythm – a measured cadence that allows for introspection, acceptance and appreciation. A whispered reminder from Phurpa that right now my heart is more important than our initial mission makes me accept it’s time to descend.

Heading down, I think about how happy I am to have come this far. I’ve met friends who in a short time feel like family and I’m thrilled to have visited Bhutan.

I’m also reminded of another of those road signs I’ve seen: “LIFE’S A JOURNEY, COMPLETE IT”. I am here for the ride.

To plan your trip to Bhutan with COMO Hotels visit comohotels.com

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healthcare

Co-founder of diabetes management centre Glucare, Ali Hashemi, talks about the path towards metabolic health and the vision that propels his company and work ethic forward

B

ridging the gap between healthcare and technology is something that Ali Hashemi has long been passionate about. “What does it mean to be data-driven in healthcare? Ten years ago, when people thought about the future of medicine from a data perspective, it was all about ‘how do we digitise the health record?’ It’s hard because that data is siloed in different places with different owners and it’s fragmented. And even if you were to succeed in consolidating all that, what are you going to do with that?” asks Hashemi. He also realised that despite a century of healthcare innovation, metabolic dysfunctions such as diabetes continued to plague humanity.

Putting these two thoughts together, his mission became clear: to empower individuals to control their health by providing real-time, actionable insights from comprehensive data. He says, “It comes down to food, sleep, stress management and exercise. It comes down to all the behaviours and decisions that we make every single day. So why aren’t we able to make the right decisions? That is the fundamental question that underpinned why we launched Glucare.”

But the decision to focus on diabetes management wasn’t purely strategic. Personal experiences, including the loss of his grandfather

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to diabetes complications and his own battle with prediabetes, added a personal layer to Glucare’s founding. Hashemi says, “The incidence of metabolic dysfunction in the US is now estimated to be 70-80 per cent of the total population. In the UAE, the estimates now are that upwards of 20-25 per cent of the population is already diabetic and upwards of 25 per cent of the population is prediabetic.”

Hashemi’s passion for technology is evident.

He’s created a hybrid model with Glucare, which combines cutting-edge technology with human expertise. The use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), wearables and data analytics allows Glucare to curate a personalised journey for each patient. The technology used is not just for show. Hashemi says, candidly, “A lot of folks drink the technology Kool-Aid to an extreme and they become very hyper focused on that.

That’s missing the point. The point is: how do we generate the best outcome?”

Part of generating healthier outcomes is nutrition. Hashemi addresses the issue of food hygiene – or the lack of it – when it comes to overall health. “Food hygiene is something that we all lack. It’s not an easy thing to fix because we don’t have the underlying cause-and-effect data for what we put in our bodies. Some people

by

Scan to listen to our podcast interview with Ali where he talks more about Glucare.

Writ ten by Dev ina Divecha ; Photography Supplied

Revolutionising

educate themselves enough to start looking at ingredients and nutritional values, but even that is hard. For the regular parents of three kids trying to get a healthy lunch put together, it’s time consuming and it’s more expensive than just going the prepackaged route. And what confounds it further? No two people are the same. You can have two people eating the identical meal and having a very different response to that meal.”

However, Hashemi is hopeful about the future.

“The good news is that everyone can chart their own path,” he says, continuing, “and you don’t have to get stressed out about it. You don’t need to go all in and revolutionise your whole life. You can start with baby steps.”

He suggests using a CGM and adds, “These are devices that were originally designed for people with Type One diabetes because they depended on these devices to know what their blood sugars were. But nowadays you’ll see people who are healthy who want to get a better understanding about their metabolic health who will wear the CGM.” Hashemi explains further, “Put on a CGM, start logging food, and understand cause-and-effect.

You might find that there are five foods that cause the biggest spikes. Just by eliminating those five things but keeping all the other things that you love makes a huge change in the way you feel and the way you’re carrying your body around.”

He adds, “There is no one template solution.

The template is to just get started.”

Hashemi is passionate about health and adds that he would like to be remembered not just as an entrepreneur but as a meaningful contributor to the global war on metabolic dysfunction. He says, “I’ll leave you with this because it’s an interesting way to think about the work that we do: think about it in a different currency, the currency of human life. For example, consider the currency of how many years of life are you helping someone claw back or earn. Then move the currency into something more personal: all the memories that those years will create.

“As an entrepreneur in healthcare, you can sell a business; you make money and create commercial and economic value for yourself. But the triple bottom line around human and societal impact is massive.”

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YOUR LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF

happiness

ICE ICE BABY

WHAT’S UP, DOC?

TALK IT OUT

Heal Hub (heal.ae) on Beach Road has one of the largest ice baths/cool pools in town, so you can chill out with up to eight friends while enjoying the sun. It also has some great classes and workshops inside, if you’re more into sound healing or yoga.

We are so spoilt in the UAE with healthcare, but the choice of experts can be truly overwhelming.

For many people, being in pain or discomfort is sadly part of life, and getting to the root of the problem can feel like a distant dream. Speaking to an integrative medical practitioner such as Dr Shefali Verma (@doctorshef) can help hugely, with a detailed history taken, emphasis on nutrition and a whole body approach.

Thankfully long gone are the days of stigmatising mental health problems, and we’re now seeing people actively seeking help to proactively better their well-being. Deciding who to speak to is a hugely personal decision and will depend on what you need – a clinical psychologist who specialises in grief probably won’t be the best marriage counsellor, for example, so ask around, and check for qualifications. Having interviewed a lot of practitioners over the years as well as seeking therapy myself, I really rate the team at Sage Clinics, Rose Logan at Free Spirit Collective and Dr Thoraiya from the Human Relations Institute & Clinic.

AT HOME PAMPERING There’s nothing like a bit of traffic to undo the good work of a massage. Much better to let the treatment come to you. Cyan Wellness will bring everything from the table to candles, oils, music and more, with its new neuro-acoustic therapy – when combined with CBD – offering the ultimate in relaxation.

GET GROUNDED Ever heard of nature deficiency disorder? It’s a phrase first coined by author Richard Louv about children who are increasingly disconnected from their natural environment and spending more and more time inside... but we could all benefit from more time connected to the earth, in the fresh air. Going barefoot on the beach, reading in the park or having your coffee on the balcony instead of the sofa all adds up to boosting vitamin D, improving sleep and regulating your mood.

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MOVE IT It has taken me to get to my 40s to realise that exercise isn’t punishment, and often it’s as simple as finding a class or sport that you actually enjoy.

I love hiking, so heading to Hatta or Showka is amazing at this time of year. I also enjoy a class environment to motivate me, so spinning at Motion Cycling is the closest thing I get to clubbing these days – sweating in a dark room with strangers with loud music.

It might be restorative yoga, joining a running club, or working out at home with a video or app, but try to take a friend to help with the gym anxiety and build it into your calendar.

Annoyingly, all that science about feel good hormones being released when you exercise is true.

DON’T MISS Listen out for Farmer’s Kitchen on Dubai Eye103.8FM in collaboration with Spinneys. It airs from 2-5pm on Fridays.

Illustrations Shutterstock.com

F rom free fun to the b est exp er ts in town, H E LE N FA R ME R has some conta cts for your sp eed d ia l

RECIPE INDEX

START ERS, SOUPS, SALADS & SIDES Roasted asparagus salad

Crispy white bean nuggets with home-made ketchup 29

on rye toast

60

Roasted vegetable and vegan

DR INKS

mozzarella sandwich

71

with burrata

33

Raspberry and lime punch

11

Mushroom katsu sando

71

Kale and paneer stuffed flatbreads

33

Apple peel ice tea

25

Aubergine Reuben sandwich

71

Thai mushroom salad

55

Yoghurt and turmeric mango lassi

Tofu banh mi

71

Roasted mushroom hummus

55

with kefir

Falafel ‘meatball’ sub

71

Fish-sauce glazed king oyster mushrooms

57

Basil, lemon and olive oil

Roasted vegetable bowl

74

Chilled shiitake mushroom soba

57

margarita mocktail

Olive oil poached salmon

84

Marry-me chicken

93

Five bean chilli sin carne with tortilla chips

99 100

Sumac-pickled cherries and strawberries

Roasted red capsicum, sumac and pumpkin seed hummus

59

Mustard seed and fennel pickled garlic salad with herbed yoghurt dressing

60

Roasted broccoli, blue cheese and

60 88

MAINS Mushroom cottage pie

24

Italian ‘meatballs’ with blackbeans

Fresh apricot and aubergine pilaf

29

Chipotle kidney bean smash burgers

100

Creamy magic bean pasta

102

Cauliflower steak burgers with herby whipped

almond salad

61

goat cheese

29

Roasted tomato and basil soup

64

Atlantic cod puttanesca with garlic bread

42

Curried pumpkin soup

64

Smoked salmon, crème fraîche and caper

BAKED G O ODS & DESSERTS

Sweetcorn, ginger and lemongrass soup

66

hash brown traybake

43

No-waste veggie drawer loaf

25

Green goddess soup

66

Sheet pan chicken parmesan

44

Healthy apple doughnut pancakes

33

Purple cabbage and potato soup

66

Herby prawn and fish pie

45

Miso mushroom phyllo tart

52

Crispy olive oil fried potato wedges

79

Korean baked chicken bowls

46

Strawberry snow with yoghurt

61

Classic olive oil salad dressing

81

Oyster mushroom shawarma

52

Olive oil chocolate chunk cookies

86

Pistachio, saffron and olive oil ice cream

87

Persian love cake

93

Whipped olive oil dip with green

122

Smashed miso chickpeas and avocado 99

Mushroom, sour cream and tarragon

olive breadsticks

82

chicken traybake

Confit garlic

84

Lion’s mane mushroom steaks with Spanish

Wedding soup

93

picada sauce

52

Romeo’s kisses and Juliet’s sighs (I baci 55

di Romeo e Giulietta)

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It ALL begins here