Edition 10, January 2016

DUBAI’S FINEST FOOD & TRAVEL E-MAGAZINE ISSUE 10, January 2016

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Edition 10, January 2016

www.foodemagdxb.com

Live inspired. And continue inspiring!

2016...get, set ready!

As if we have always been waiting for 2016 - there are so many new things that are promised our way - a new website, new collaborations, new frontiers and new inspirations.

Hoping that 2015 had been a great year for all of you and the coming year is going to be even better. Some journeys must have come with its unfair share of bumpy rides but isn't that the truth of life? Let's celebrate for the days to come... let us live our each moment inspired. As always, do keep us in your journeys and hashtag us (#foodemagdxb) in your food and travel inspirations. Until our next edition in the next year!

Ishita B Saha Editor & Co-Founder T/FB/Instagram: @ishitaunblogged editor@foodemagdxb.com www.ishitaunblogged.com Debbie Rogers Travel & Features Editor FB/Instagram: @coffeecakesandrunning T: @bettyboodubai www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

Ishita B Saha, Editor

Website development www.commuweb.com Ishita is obsessed with street food and learning about culinary cultures across the world. She aspires to travel the world with her family - husband and two daughters – the Z-Sisters, and dreams about writing a book on Bengali cuisine, the kind that can be passed on as a wedding trousseau to her daughters.

Prior permission for all editorial content and images have been obtained from contributors and featured sources. Images are sourced from authors for respective articles unless mentioned otherwise.

[Cover picture credit: Debbie Rogers]

Dubai’s local businesses giving back to the boys in blue.

Our Panel Debbie Rogers, Travel & Features Editor Debbie shares her experiences through the joys of eating and travelling, as well as the pains and gains of exercise. She is passionate about Food, Baking, Cooking, Travel and Exercise. www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

Sally Prosser, Food Sourcing Expert In her own words, Sally is ‘a food blogger, a keen eater… of GOOD food…. and for me that’s about using the best, freshest, tastiest ingredients cooked from scratch.’ Who else can we trust with our food sourcing and market round ups, but Sally? We are proud to have this award-winning blogger in our panel. www.mycustardpie.com

Prachi Grover, Kids Columnist Prachi declares that her blog has ‘recipes that we have tried and appreciated, cooking victories and failures, kitchen and food related DIY projects that we are working on and more'. We refers to Prachi and Sara, her 6 year old little chefling, whom we have lovingly adopted as our own contributing chefling! Prachi is a super Ambassador of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Programme. www.orangekitchens.blogspot.ae

Our contributors in this issue:

Arva Ahmed www.fryingpanadventures.com

Kari Heron www.chefandsteward.com

Special Travel

Columnists Lucy Forbes Taylor www.lucytaylortravels.com

Joe Mortimer www.somewhereinthebetween.org

5

CONTENTS

On the Shelves

Cookbooks

10 17

Cooking with Kids

Recipes - Gratitude

18 24

Dessert Recipe

Mille Feuille

Brunch

6

Recipes

30 32

Dubai Dining

Ingredient... Saffron

34

Dubai Dining Mains Oyster Bar

Dubai Dining

Special Round Up - Hot Button Foods

36 40

Coffee

Travel

At the Top

Event

BBC Good Food Show Dubai 2015

48 52

Special Feature

Special Roundup

42 44

A tale of two Travellers: Costa Rica

Chai

Culinary Travel The Tom Yum Story: Thailand

58

Note: Some of the articles and/or recipes in this edition may contain reference to alcohol and other ingredients without intentions to hurt any religious sentiment.

7

Advertorial Feature

The Lobby

Come & celebrate the 6th Anniversary of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest

skyscraper with our spectacular tribute - a gingerbread model of the city’s iconic landmark in The Address Dubai Marina. The monumental gingerbread structure will be displayed at the stunning lobby until the 4th of January, 2016.

Made entirely from gingerbread and edible ingredients, the gingerbread tower is of 11.3 meters in height and has been created from scratch by the very talented pastry team at the hotel in 720 hours. Believe it or not, it is composed of more than 30,000 large and small gingerbread panels, using 3600 pounds of icing sugar, 216 litres of honey and more than 23 kg of ginger powder!

#OnTheShelves

Delish Cookbooks...

where to find them in Dubai?

By Sally Prosser www.mycustardpie.com

Is anyone else out there a complete cookbook junkie?

I’ll hold my hands up now and confess. Despite the incredible wealth of recipes online, which I contribute to in my own small way, you just can’t beat a cookbook for inspiration in the kitchen or just to curl up in bed with and get lost in the pages. I used to bring heaps back from the UK in my suitcase or trust to international post, but there are so many great sources here in Dubai now that it’s only the vintage ones that test my excess baggage allowance.

Here are my regular haunts for cookbooks and few titles on my wish list:

Book World by Kinokunya

For those not able to get to Librairie Gourmande in Paris (the largest cookbook shop in the world), Kinokunya may offer some solace. It’s cookbook heaven by any standards not just the UAE, and the range and diversity of titles including new releases mean that my wish list never goes down. Piles of the latest culinary tomes greet you when you enter the shop and also when you arrive in the cookbook section. Celebrity chef titles line up along the curved shelves of the back wall, from Arzak to Zilli. Different categories of cuisine and ingredients fill the rest of the space. The array of bread and baking books alone covers

the same amount of space as the whole of the cookbook collection in many other book retailers. It’s a great resource for recipes from around the world, not just the copious amount of alluring titles dedicated to the Middle Eastern food. The excellent range of vegetarian and vegan books have been on my hit list of late to meet my daughter’s dietary preferences. In contrast there are also shelves paying homage to meat in all its forms from butchery and barbecue to offal.

Recommended recent purchases: A Modern Way to Eat

by Anna Jones; The Homemade Vegan Pantry by Miyoko Schinner

And who knew there were so many books devoted to chocolate? The long benches are the perfect place to grab a stack and leaf through the pristine pages of edible print. You could lose me there for days given half the chance.

Magrudy's

Once a mecca for all things in culinary print in Dubai, the selection is less capacious as it used to be but nevertheless

provides plenty of fodder for the foodie. You can order online from www.magrudy.com but I’d still rather step back in time to the quiet tranquillity of their upper floor and contemplate the range in a part of old Jumeirah. Those searching for current health trends will find a lot to peruse from Superfoods to Gluten-free baking. The doyenne of British Baking, Mary Berry, is also well represented and there are many curious titles online such as The Pocket Guide to Field Dressing, Butchering and Cooking Deer. A wealth of inspiration for gift ideas, even for people who are hard to please!

On my wish list: Movida Solera by Frank Camorra and Richard Cornish; Vegan Love Story by Tibits & Hiltl: The Cookbook by Juliette Chretien, Reto Frei, Rolf Hiltl

Virgin Feeling lost in the Mall of the Emirates? Some cookbook comfort can be found to the rear of the Virgin store although earplugs are recommended. There’s a surprisingly large range packed into a small space which are mainly best-sellers, Middle Eastern titles and some novelty books such as ‘Burgers’ and ‘Nutella’ in appropriately shaped formats.

On my wish list: Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver; A Modern Way to Cook by Anna Jones

11

...#OnTheShelves

Book Munch

Book Munch

Although food is the first focus of Book Munch, and the shelves were a little bit sparse when I visited just prior to a restock, there is always a gem or two that just beg to be taken home from a collection hand-chosen by the owner.

Dareen Charafeddine, the owner and brain behind Book Munch, confesses to hoarding over 250 cookbooks in her own house; that passion is evident in the diversity of the titles. Grab a coffee and excellent Eggs Benedict while you make your choices.

On my wish list: The Trifle Bowl and Other Tales by Lindsey Bareham; Fairytale Food by Lucie Cash (who could resist Bad Fairy Cakes in the Sleeping Beauty chapter?)

Jones the Grocer

Another place where eating and drinking is the priority but Jones also has tempted cookbook gems dotted about.

I’ve left with more than a loaf of bread in my bag on many occasions. Often the titles are linked to their calendar

12

Jones The Grocer

of visiting chefs and food experts. I took home Patricia Michelson’s The Cheese Room after a tasting with her and cheese expert Juliet Harbutt’s World Cheese Book is featured right now due to her workshops.

Recommended recent purchase: V is for Vegan by Kerstin Rodgers

#Debate

Cookbooks... will they become extinct in the age of Kindle?

By Ishita B Saha www.ishitaunblogged.com Do you think that people will soon stop buying cookbooks, specially when recipes are so easily available on the web?

I don't think so. I am still very traditional and I love to feel the texture of the pages, look at the images and read recipes and cookbooks more like a story book rather than for cooking reference. I still get very excited when my stock of new books arrive - it's the smell of the pages of a new book and everything about it. Kindle can never substitute real senses!

We are excited about the new branch of Book Munch. Tell us more!

The new branch at Bay Square in Business Bay would focus more on Cookbooks.

Amongst all the books that we stock, interestingly, it is the cookbooks that have the highest sales - so that probably answers your question on whether Kindle would overpower actual cookbooks!

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Dareen Cheferaddine, the founder of Book Munch

#Ingredient101

Saffron

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

Saffron has its own enigma, probably because of the high price tag attached to it and also because of its vibrant and strong colour. Specially when one is living in the Middle East, this beautiful spice becomes a part of the regular culinary vocabulary as Za’atar and Sumac.

Its versatility lies in the fact that it can blend into so many different kind of dishes – starting from beverages to elaborate main courses – be it is rice or meat dishes and finally becoming an inseparable ingredient for a lot of popular desserts. Enjoy!

Sunshine Spice...

It takes 150 crocus flowers to yield just 1gm of aromatic and colourful saffron. Popularly referred to as the sunshine spice, saffron is made by harvesting the stigmas from the crocus flower. Due to it’s delicate nature the stigmas are hand picked, air-dried and it’s no wonder then that saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, even more expensive then gold – gram for gram! Saffron has many uses ranging from medicinal, religious, cosmetic and last but not the least culinary.

Widely used in Persian, Indian, European, Arab and Turkish cuisines, saffron contributes to the yelloworange colouring, a unique aroma and a floral delicate taste to dishes. Some describe this floral and delicate quality as a metallic honey taste or grassy and sweet. Popular Saffron dishes, many of which are considered as delicacies, include Risotto from Italy, Paella from Spain, Bouillabaisse from France, Biryani and several desserts from the subcontinent as well as many Middle Eastern dishes. In India, saffron is an indispensable ingredient in many recipes including rice, sweets and ice creams providing both colour and a distinctive flavour to many dishes and features in many traditional festive dishes. A common ingredient in Saudi Coffee also known as Al-Qahwa, Saffron is sometimes mixed with other spices to give it a beautiful golden hue.

Saffron is graded and priced according to its strength and colour, Sargol being the most expensive variety – 100% red in colour, followed by Pushall, which is red/ orange in colour, and finally Konge which is yellow in colour and has the lowest grade, strength and colour.

Recipe & Image:Image: Ritu Chaturvedi Debbie Rogers

Image: Ishita B Saha

In the Middle East, saffron is widely available and can be found in the spice souks through to the supermarkets.

However, one has to be very careful in order to avoid buying fake saffron. Ishita B Saha, our Editor hits her favourite part of the town – Al Fahidi Historical District. She visits the Royal Saffron Herbs, whose original shop is in Deira spice market and is almost 65 years.

Here, she not only comes across a moisturizing lotion that the local women use, which is created by mixing saffron with other herbs and milk but also gets to sniff the most expensive saffron in the world – priced at Dhs 8,000/kg!

Tips for buying saffron • • • •

It should be aromatic and floral and red in colour.

Always purchase from reputable buyer.

Buy in small quantities as little goes a long way.

Finally, expect to pay a premium price for premium saffron

Cooking with saffron •

Don’t over use it as it has a very strong taste which can be overpowering.

• Never throw saffron threads whole into your cooking:

1. Crush saffron threads lightly, then soak in hot water for several minutes prior to use to help release the beneficial components and FEM tip release the beautiful colour 2. orare grind the in a pestle & *Rose petals easy tothreads find in regular supermarkets.

We mortar also suggest serving in clay glass to infuse some ethnicity.

These are to be found in Asian supermarkets namely Adil • Store unused saffron in an air tight in Dubai. container to retain its taste and properties.

17

#CookingWithKids

With Gratitude... we take on a new year!

By Prachi Grover www.orangekitchens.blogspot.ae

There is something I like to do with my little chefling every December as the year ends - be grateful for the year gone by. Often we fail to appreciate the people who make our lives beautiful.

Sitting down with Sara and making our little list helps her (and me!) introspect on the year gone by and committing those people to memory. All those times when granny read the same story a million times made her summer happier, that one time when her friend saved that last cookie for Sara made her evening sweeter, each day when “lift uncle� smiles & says hi to her when she is leaving for school makes her morning better. Amidst the baubles & the glitter, the gorgeous spreads on our dinner tables & the gifts we will unwrap, just a little thank you note to the people who matter helps us celebrate this year and the people in our lives.

Here’s a little something for the two people who make sure she goes to and comes back from school safe and happy, all year round - her “bus uncle” and “bus aunty” (School bus driver & bus Nanny). For the thank you note, you will need Yellow paper and a black marker.

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Indian Ttrail Mix to munch on in between their tiring long shifts!

Ingredients Makes 1 kg (or 5 small boxes) 400 gms roasted dry chickpeas 400 gms salted butter popcorn 100 gms roasted peanuts 100 gms raisins 50 gms butter 4 tsp curry powder salt to taste

Method • • • • •

In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, popcorn, peanuts and raisins. Give it a good mix.

Now melt the butter in a small pan on low heat. Add the curry powder and swirl it around. Add salt to taste.

Now pour this butter mix on to the trail mix. Stir well so it coats everything.

Allow it cool before you pack into packets/boxes of your choice.

Don’t forget to add a handwritten thank you note!

19

#CookingWithKids

With Gratitude... ... continued

we take on a new year!

Thank You Cookies to make them feel extra special!

Ingredients

Method

Makes 50 small rectangular cookies or 25-30 large ones

For the cookies: • Beat the butter and the sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat further.

• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

• Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Fold and bring it together like a ball of dough. If the ball is too sticky, add a little more flour.

• Allow the ball to rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

• After an hour, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

• Sprinkle your kitchen shelf liberally with flour and roll out the dough to about ½ cm thick.

• Cut into shapes of your choice and inscribe the words thank you on it. Take care that the words need to be mirror image of the words “Thank You”.

• Bake for about 8-12 minutes. The cookies will be golden at the edges and little soft. They will harden once allowed to cool outside.

• While still a little warm brush them with icing sugar and dust away the excess.

For the cookies: 90 gms unsalted butter, softened 100 gms fine sugar 1 large egg, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 220 gms flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt icing sugar to brush each cookie.

'Thank you' stamps For packing: • small rectangular boxes to resemble a bus • little transparent bags to pack the cookies into • yellow paper, black marker, sticky tape, pencil and ruler

For the buses: • Measure and cut enough yellow paper so there is enough to wrap around the box.

• Put the cookies into the transparent plastic and seal with the sticky tape.

• Now, pack the cookies into the box and then wrap the yellow paper around it. Stick the edges.

• With a marker, draw the wheels and the windows of the “bus”.

Your THANK YOU bus is ready!

#okfoodresolutionskids New Year Food Resolution for kids: Each year I set out some food resolutions for myself and Sara... are you joining us? Share with the hashtag #okfoodresolutionskids... your food resolutions could as simple as the following: • Learn to cook one simple recipe each month • Help mum & dad with one dinnertime chore each night • Try one new food from a different country each month • Start a new food tradition with mum & dad this year

,, 21

#CookBook

Yotam Ottolenghi's NOPI

By Ishita B Saha www.ishitaunblogged.com

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I used to love fine dining, but I lost my appetite for it to a degree because sometimes it is too much about the effort and too little about the result.

Yotam Ottolenghi is an institution by itself and when it comes to his food - simplicity and intensity of flavours, accentuated by colours, textures and forms mark the diner's gastromical experience. And if his above quotes are to be adhered to, nothing can be as simple as his sense of fine dining or more fine than the simple nad honest food that only he can serves.

Hence, when a cook book comes out from his restaurant kitchen, there's more curiousity - can an Ottolonghi recipe be recreated at home?

Nopi... this latest cookbook from the legend includes over 120 of the most popular dishes from Yotam’s Soho-based restaurant NOPI. It’s written with long-time collaborator and NOPI head chef Ramael Scully, the latter adding the Asian flavours to the Ottolenghi style of dishes. The page layout is simple, elegant with a lot of focus on white - almost like Ottolonghi's creations. The recipes have been adapted for home cooking. Ottolonghi explains the philosophy of his cookbook in his food column in The Guardian:

In Nopi: The Cookbook, Scully and I have attempted to modify and simplify Nopi’s recipes without losing their essential core. We also suggest alternatives for different cooks: more complicated, cheffy options for those with a bit of time and an adventurous disposition; simpler ones for those who want impressive results, and also to get there pretty swiftly.

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I do recommend you act a little bit like a chef, and get ahead with all the chopping and weighing before you start to cook. (You don’t want to be trying to finely chop two green chillies when they are meant to be thrown into a pan two minutes after the onion.) Otherwise, please don’t hesitate to choose every shortcut and ready-made alternative: we use them all the time when cooking at home.

22

These are the other favourite cookbooks on our virtual shelf right now. Which cook book have you been sniffing up lately?

#Recipes

Festive Jamaica... on the table

By Kari Heron www.chefandsteward.com

My house, though nestled in the sandy dunes of Arabia, has the smell of a tropical Jamaican Christmas and New Year wafting through the air. As a child of the tropics and Jamaican expatriate, food is my home away from home. In an instant, a smell, a taste, a sighting of a traditional ingredient or any combination of the above transforms my little Middle Eastern Villa into an idyllic tropical getaway.

These three recipes will sweep you off to a foodie holiday with me, to my little paradise island. The recipes are quick, practical and made with ingredients that are readily available in the region. As a rule, I favour recipes that make for efficient use of energy and resources. In other words, less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company of your family and friends!

Traditionally, every Jamaican home has a roast of sorts, a sangria cocktail we call “Sorrel” and coconut in some recipe (usually in Rice and Peas). Here is my take on the representation of those three flavours - the sorrel, the coconut and the roast. Not surprisingly, allspice, a spice native to Jamaica, features prominently in two of these recipes. No surprise here for this is the queen of all spices and no Jamaican home is ever without it. In fact, a Jamaican home without allspice is like a sailboat without sails!

Jamaican Sorrel Sangria Ingredients

6 cups sorrel (hibiscus, karkade, roselle) 24 cups or 5.5 litres water 1 kg + 2 cups brown cane sugar 1 litres red wine (preferably port)* ½ cup Appleton Jamaican Rum (optional) 1 tbsp whole cloves 2 tsp whole allspice 2 inches peeled Indian ginger sliced in 3 pieces

Method • • • • • • •

•

Bring the water to a low boil in a large stockpot.

Add hibiscus, cloves, allspice and ginger and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let it sit until cool, preferably overnight.

Strain the liquid through a fine sieve, discarding the trash.

Add the sugar, wine (and rum if using) and stir repeatedly until all the sugar crystals at the bottom of the liquid dissolve.

Pour into glass bottles with airtight caps and leave on counter for 2-3 days to ferment slightly.

Transfer bottles to fridge and keep for up to a year. The drink gets better with age. Some of the sugars will be converted to alcohol as the drink matures with age, which is why I have made it very sweet. If too sweet upon serving, simply dilute with a little water.

You can also serve it immediately, though it’s best when made at least a week in advance. Serve over lots of ice, as it is sweet especially if freshly made.

If there is one beverage present in every Jamaican home over Christmas and New Year’s it is “Sorrel.” This is not to be mistaken for the herb by the same name. The drink is a favourite at this time of year because it is made from hibiscus (otherwise called roselle or karkade), which starts to come into season in the Caribbean by about November. Fresh sorrel is grown in the gardens of many Jamaicans and is traditionally handpicked in huge batches by a group of women and children ahead of the holidays. The petals are set aside for this deliciously rich drink and excess petals are sometimes dried for later use.

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*Recipe contains alcohol. This can be substituted by red grape juice.

24

Dried karkade is found in abundance in supermarkets like Carrefour and Choithrams. It is very high in resveratrol, vitamin C and the rich luxurious colour just accentuates the season.

#Recipes

Tropical Holiday Salad Ingredients

1 large bag baby spinach 1 bag mixed baby salad greens 2 handfuls flat parsley leaves ½ cup desiccated coconut ½ cup pomegranate seeds For the Lime Dressing: 1 tbsp lime juice 6 tbsp sunflower oil salt and pepper to taste

Method • • • • • • •

•

Bring the water to a low boil in a large stockpot.

Add hibiscus, cloves, allspice and ginger and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let it sit until cool, preferably overnight.

Strain the liquid through a fine sieve, discarding the trash.

Add the sugar, wine (and rum if using) and stir repeatedly until all the sugar crystals at the bottom of the liquid dissolve.

Pour into glass bottles with airtight caps and leave on counter for 2-3 days to ferment slightly.

Transfer bottles to fridge and keep for up to a year. The drink gets better with age. Some of the sugars will be converted to alcohol as the drink matures with age, which is why I have made it very sweet. If too sweet upon serving, simply dilute with a little water.

You can also serve it immediately, though it’s best when made at least a week in advance. Serve over lots of ice, as it is sweet especially if freshly made.

This salad makes me want to talk in the sing-song cadence for which our Caribbean accents are famous. I am literally home! Coconut is a huge part of Caribbean cuisine and in Jamaica, it is a star in so many different dishes from sweet to savoury. Pomegranates are loved by children across the island and were a favourite fruit from my own childhood - so putting them together here was simply magical for me. Salads can get pretty monotonous day to day and when you are serving several dishes in one meal, can often be overlooked. It ought not be. In fact, this year, let salad be one of the featured acts at your dining table!

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The top salad recipe from our previous issues...

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The Pink Ribbon Salad

By Francine Spiering www.lifeinthefoodlane.com

Ingredients

1 Daikon Radish, thinly sliced in long ribbons 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger juice of 1 lime 1-2 lime leaves, torn salt to taste beetroot cooking liquid (the slightly salted water you cooked, peeled and diced or sliced beetroots in) ½ cup coarsely chopped cooked prawns (a topping of your choice) 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onions dressing of fresh lime juice a drop of sesame oil 1 tbsp vegetable oil a pinch of chili powder fresh grated ginger

Method •

•

Marinate the sliced ribbons of radish in the beetroot liquid to which you add the ginger, lime juice and lime leaf.

Leave to marinate for at least an hour, preferably longer.

Serving suggestions Use the big ribbons and curl over smoked salmon or grilled prawns. Or cut the pink ribbons lengthwise in smaller ribbons (like tagliatelle), and roll with a fork as you would roll for pasta. Make a rolled up “heap” Drizzle a little dressing over it, and top up with your choice of topping. Serve immediately.

#Recipes

There is always roast on the Jamaican holiday table. Whether it is roast beef, pork or chicken, there is something very festive about a whole piece of meat or poultry oozing with the spicy aromatic flavours that our cuisine is known for. The secret here is using only fresh herbs and freshly grinding your spices for the most sensational flavours. This is a great recipe to adorn your table and please everyone's palate. Present it whole at the table and carve tableside for extra fanfare!

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Festive Jamaican Roast Chicken Serves 4

Ingredients

1.4-1.5gms/3lbs whole fresh chicken 2 tsp sea salt 2 tsp coarse cracked black pepper, freshly cracked 2 tsp coarse cracked allspice, freshly cracked 1 tbsp olive oil 3 large garlic cloves 7 sprigs thyme ½ scotch bonnet pepper (substitute with habanero or extra tsp blackpepper) 2 tsp cane vinegar 1 tbsp butter 2 stalks scallion/green onions

Method • • •

• •

• •

• • • • • •

Wash and pat dry the chicken.

Finely chop scotch bonnet/habanero, discarding the seeds.

Finely dice the garlic and strip thyme leaves from stems and combine with black pepper, allspice, scotch bonnet/habanero, salt, oil, vinegar and mix in a small bowl.

Thinly slice the green parts of the stems of the green onions and set aside.

Rub the spice paste all over chicken, getting into every nook and cranny and the cavities as well as the neck area. Gently ease skin away from chicken in the breast and back areas and rub marinade underneath.

Tuck the sliced green onions under the skin as well.

Place the white stems of the green onions along with the stems of the thyme inside the cavity. Truss the legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips underneath the back of the chicken so that the chicken will present nicely on the table when done.

Marinate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.

Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 180ºC. Bring butter to room temperature, diving into two portions and stuff underneath the skin of each breast.

Roast chicken for an hour, then crank up the oven to 220 for another 5-minutes to brown.

Allow chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

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#Recipes

Red Fruit Mille Feuille Ingredients

Method

For Puff Pastry Dough 60 gm puff pastry 60 gm pastry cream, low fat 50 gm fresh cream, low fat 20 gm raspberry purée

• • •

For Vanilla Cream 20 gms fresh milk, low fat 20 gms whipping cream, low fat 15 gms egg yolk 5 gms sugar 1 gm vanilla For Garnish 17 gms cherry 12 gms raspberry, fresh 10 gms blueberry, fresh 1-2 mint leaves, fresh pinch of icing sugar

• • • • •

Bake the puff pastry dough at 200⁰C for 20 minutes.

Cut the dough into rectangular pieces.

Mix the fresh cream, pastry cream and raspberry purée to form an even filling paste.

Lay a layer of puff pastry, top it with the filling paste.

Repeat the same arrangement to get 2 layers of puff pastry with the filling paste in between each layer.

Prepare the vanilla cream by mixing the fresh milk, whipping cream, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk.

Pour the vanilla cream on top of the layered puff pastry.

To Serve: Garnish the mille feuille with icing sugar, fresh raspberries (that are cut in half), blueberries, cherries and mint leaves.

*A Holiday recipe from Right Bite Nutrition Centre in Dubai. Tel No: +971 4 3388763 and +971 4 3425208. To learn more about Right Bite >> www.right-bite.com

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#FoodStory

The Mille Fueille... of my life!

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

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Almaz by Momo

Love at First Bite? My love of Mille Feuille has been rekindled after a long hiatus and I’ve been on the hunt for the best Mille Feuille in Dubai for a while. Whilst I’m still searching, here’s a few of my favourites from my tasting so far.

French Bakery - Consistently good Mille Feuille can be found at French Bakery and other outlets around Dubai, namely Second Cup and Jamaica Blue to name a few.

Almaz by Momo - Not the first place you would think of for a Mille Feuille, but the ones that you find here are pureley for indulgence - rich and decadent with posh finishing on the top.

Bateel - The Dhibs Mille feuille has an Arabic twist here which is really nice.

And my winner so far… La Patisserie, Sofitel Downtown - It is worth the trip even if it is for a Mille Fueille, particularly when you get to know how much time, love and care goes into making the perfect Mille Feuille!

Sofitel Downtown French Bakery

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#DubaiDining

New Openings: The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

Described as ‘a cross between a New England inspired seaside brasserie and a European bistro’, we were intrigued to check out this new homegrown neighbourhood restaurant located at the far end of JBR. Entry is via the loading dock of the hotel car park, which is unusual, but reminiscent of a dockside with the dark wood. We moved swiftly through the large beautiful interior to the outdoor terrace to dine al fresco.

Fresh and sweet oysters

THE FOOD What we loved: We dined on beautifully fresh and sweet Oysters, a tangy citrus ceviche with some heat from the jalapeño plus succulent prawns served on a bed of ice. A charcoal grilled catch-of-the-day Sea Bream was served with olive oil and pink peppercorns had been cooked perfectly with crispy skin on – which was too good to leave out! A side order of triple cooked hand cut crispy French fries and a salad of beetroot with candied walnuts and goats cheese by the side, was all that we needed to satisfy our appetite. Worth mentioning here, that here’s plenty of choice on the menu for non sea food lovers too.

Dessert: The Creme Brûlée was a delight packed full of vanilla seeds and great for sharing. The Brit in me was keen to try the rhubarb crumble - a nostalgic childhood favourite. We loved the Key Lime Pie too, although personally I prefer citrus tarts to be a little more tart-ish tough to recommend, there are so many things you will want to eat!

THE VIBE We loved the relaxed dining experience and honest food that tasted and looked good, in fact, we are inspired to go back to try some of the photos of dishes we’ve spotted on Instagram already. We love the idea of the Friday or Saturday brunch menu, which has options for both breakfast dishes as a la carte. Whilst it doesn’t have the best sea view (the terrace is right next to the hotel pool) we can overlook this for the ambiance, vibe and menu. Last heard, there will be live music too.

Creme Brûlée and Key Lime Pie Charcoal grilled catch-of-the-day Sea Bream

{Top Tip: Avoid the JBR traffic by entering from the far end of JBR!}

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#DubaiDining

Speciality Brunch: Beijing Duck Brunch @ Zheng He’s

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me THE FOOD What we loved: Think duck, duck and more duck! We love the idea of a set menu with food being brought to the table in five very relaxed courses. Start with the infamous Peking duck with pancakes and all the trimmings and then move onto some amazing Dim Sum and Shui Mui with duck liver. Do keep some room for hot and sour soup and you may have to adjust the notch on your belt as you tuck into a selection of main dishes prepared with duck. The smoked duck in black pepper sauce was our favourite. Is there anything on the menu apart from Duck? Yes, there’s a delectable wagyu beef and a fish dish too, plus noodles and rice (which we barely touched). Finally, just when

Brunches are a 'Dubai Institution' and it seems like every week there’s a new brunch launch somewhere. Whilst we love brunching, sometimes it’s hard to find one that’s just a little bit different than the rest and stands out. Here is a brunch that we’ve tried recently which stands out, the main focus being on one special ingredient duck!

you think it’s all over, sit back and be entertained with some dry ice magic surrounding a healthy fruit salad and indulge in some interesting desserts. Any guess about the ingredients? Well, yes Duck indeed which were surprisingly good and worth saving some space in the tummy for!

THE VIBE: Both the cocktails and mocktails were beautiful, imaginative and paired so well with the duck (and not stuffed full of syrup) - a great compliment for a good meal.

Dining on the terrace overlooking the Burj al Arab, it's easy to pretend that we were on a holiday far away from the hustle and bustle of Dubai! The ambiance is very relaxed and casual, good for groups as well as couples.

Smoked Duck in black pepper sauce

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Images: FoodEMag dxb

Peking Duck

Zheng he's in located in Mina A' Salam, Madinat Jumeirah.

Shui Mui

Dry Ice magiic on fruit salad

#DubaiDining

Special Roundup:

Dubai’s 5 Hot-Button Foods... we

cannot help but expound our opinions on these foods!

By Arva Ahmed www.iliveinafryingpan.com

Karak Chai

Every city has a few dishes that when mentioned, unleash a flood of opinions. Deep-dish pizza in Chicago, vada pav in Mumbai, Assam laksa in Penang, phô in Hanoi, Peking duck in Beijing and, for fear of upsetting the French by overlooking any of their prized culinary creations, every French dish prepared by the Parisians. Everyone and their aunt must have a stance on the dish: what constitutes authentic, which restaurant serves the best one, what

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trimmings must accompany the most righteous version, and the heated list goes on.

Dubai is no different. We boast five hot-button dishes that have the potential to transform an awkwardly unsociable dinner table into the old Deira fish market. Given the overwhelming number of nationalities that have made Dubai their home, it is all but natural that these debate-igniting foods are

‘immigrant dishes’ that have gradually but deliciously digested themselves into the culinary fabric of the city.

1. Karak Chai Sweetened black tea made fairer with Rainbow evaporated milk is not really a dish, and definitely not a hot-button dish for all of Dubai. This cardamom-fragranced drink is a domain exclusively reserved for the old timers, with a few exceptional rookies who have fast-tracked their chai research and managed to wiggle into the discussion.

Karak chai communions often do not happen in the abstract, but rather when one is already indulging in a styrofoam cup of this unofficial national drink. The analysis usually focuses on the degree of sweetness, the blend of spices, the price per cup and the popularity of different chai spots. Those with an opinion will rarely remember the exact name of their preferred chai stall – it will always be at the corner of a hidden street with an ambiguous landmark that makes hunting it down a futile exercise. A friend once divulged his preferred karak chai cafeteria in Satwa where everyone from the laundry man on his humble cycle to Richie Rich in his Ferrari drives up for a cup. To this, another advocated her spot in Mamzar where the chai was a dirham a cup at the café, or two dirhams if you opted to have the chai boy scale five steps to your car window.

A third tentatively proposed a visit to Karak House, a new downtown location with a vibe that might feel too clinical for hardened roadside drinkers. Votes have also been cast in favour of a Hor Al Anz haunt – it might have been Ibrahim’s chai. Or Saleem’s chai. We’re no longer sure, the name drowned in a bottomless cup of testimonials.

2. Burgers What Karak Chai is to Gen X, Burgers are to Gen Y in Dubai. If you fail to spot a melted cheese-dripping bun on the Instagram feed of anyone born after the 90’s, instantly start suspecting their actual age. The burger infatuation had been coyly hiding under the cupcake and macaron fad over the past few years in Dubai. All it took was the SALT food truck to cause our patty-in-a-bun emotions to rise to the top and explode into a full blown and deeply-analysed love affair.

While the group will inevitably grill each other on their mutual experiences at Shake Shack, Cali Burger, Burger Fuel, Elevation Burger and a whopping number of other burger chains, SALT alone is enough to keep a dinner conversation blazing through starters and mains. Beyond those who have weathered the food truck’s long queues, passionate discourse is to be had even with those who aspire to go but haven’t yet or with those who vehemently declare that they will never wait in line for a burger

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#DubaiDining

Biryani

– even if it were made of gold (that said, such blingcoated embellishments have the potential to completely cannibalize dinner conversations all the way through dessert and a sheesha session after. SALT, we hope you are taking note.)

3. Biryani If the Holy Grail were discovered in Dubai, it would undoubtedly be a goblet of Biryani. The quest for the city’s best biryani has proven elusive. It always floats around with no conclusive answer, or worse, with an old-timer wistfully remembering about the biryani of a restaurant that has long since closed its doors.

Gazebo, Student Biryani, Pak Liyari, Haddad, Rang Mahal and a laundry list of other restaurants often fuel the debate, only to be extinguished by someone reminiscing about their mother’s homemade biryani. If their mother is from Hyderabad or Lucknow in India, steel yourself for a tantalizing bite-by-bite description of an authentic and highly unattainable biryani: the aroma of saffron (which is rarely used in restaurant biryani), patches of onion masala running through slender grains of high

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quality Basmati, flavoursome shreds of top- notch meat and the all-important garnish which is often overlooked at restaurants– crispy fried onions, nuts, coriander and crescents of boiled egg. The very essence of the perfect biryani runs like raita through their veins. For the rest of us mortals who must resign ourselves to eating biryani at restaurants, we’ll keep hunting.

4. Hummus Hummus is a dormant hot-button dish. No one really dwells on the hummus if it is appropriately creamy, has the right number of chickpeas in the centre, presents itself with a flawless drizzle of olive oil and is generously portioned. Given the number of Levantine restaurants in this city, a perfectly-executed bowl of hummus is not only expected, it is our right. Any subpar hummus rendition that bars us this right is likely to spark boundless fury, endless comparisons and soul-baring prose on what constitutes a utopian paste of chickpeas.

The worst offenders are grainy hummus, hummus that skimped on tahina (bland mealy chickpea paste anyone?), hummus with an egregious stale brown crust, watery

Roundup continued...

5. Shawarma Gain an instant surge of Facebook affection with a provocative status update claiming to have found the city’s best shawarma. Even the most socially reclusive fly-onthe-Facebook- wall will feel undeniably drawn to their keyboard to hammer out a heartfelt testimonial.

Automatic, Jabal Al Noor, Ijaza and Al Mallah will inevitably overshadow all other contending comments, with an occasional vote for Zaroob or Al Farooj being shot down fiercely by a staunch shawarma veteran who claims to have lived and eaten shawarma in the city for the past three decades. Twenty-seven comments later, the conversation would have wrapped itself around what makes an authentic shawarma. Purists demand that beef be paired

with parsley, onions and tahina, while chicken shreds be smeared with towm (garlic paste). With or without fries you ask? Leave that question for when your Facebook wall faces another needy attention-seeking day.

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hummus (blasphemy!) and the most common one, hummus in bowls so miniscule that you’re convinced they are complimentary – until you receive the bill. The bad taste lingers till the end of the meal, if not till the next day, and is best remedied with an exceptional life- correcting hummus that some will argue is found at Foul W Hummus.

Or Al Hallab. Or Qwaider Al Nabulsi. Just ask around, you won’t be starved of opinions.

The next time you aspire to be the diva of the dinner party or your social media timeline, skip the chia seed and coconut truffles updates and strike a match on Dubai’s highly flammable food topics instead. A mere mention of any one of these five hot-button foods will melt the ice into a roiling boil of heated opinions even before you’ve finished saying...shawarma!

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#AbuDhabiDining

Chai

It’s not often that we head out of Dubai for afternoon lunch, but this one was definitely worth the trip - the newly launched afternoon tea set in a stunning location. Stratos is the revolving Lounge Bar & Grill on the 26th floor of Le Royal Meridien in Abu Dhabi that gives you a 360-degree view of the city. Once you are seated in the plush sofas or the intimate booths, doo sit back and enjoy as the view changes before your eyes. I will have to admit that on a first visit it’s a little disorientating, but after a while it’s a great way to ‘sight see’ without having to leave the comfort of your sofa.

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

Afternoon Tea by Eric Lanlard at Stratos, Abu Dhabi

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It’s not everyday that I share my secrets, but it’s not every day that I find such a delightful establishment as Stratos. I’ve selected Stratos as one of the few global residences to display and curate an array of Eric’s finest sweet treats!

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Afternoon tea is served on a fabulous tiered fashion with a tier for savouries, one for scones and another for sweet treats. I would describe this Afternoon Tea as “Traditional with a twist meets Travel Inspired Spice Trail”. Favourites from the savoury tier include the black pepper crab tart with coriander and the delicate vanilla cured Scottish salmon. There’s even a little something to challenge your mind with a savoury cumin and pumpkin macaron with chicken crackling.

The scones were really good, served with lashings of clotted cream, satisfying the scone loving Brit in me! The scones come in two types, raw cacao and raspberries and orange blossom & bee pollen, and are served with homemade raspberry jam which was tasty and not too sweet - thus transporting me back to summer weekends

in the UK, while and the rose scented jam gives a taste of the Middle East - all in one bite.

Moving on to the final tier - it’s really a hard decision on which to try first - the lychee & raspberry dome catches my eye first and does not disappoint. Lovers of dark chocolate will definitely enjoy the dark chocolate cannelloni with grand cru chocolate mousse whilst the mango and cardamon kilner jar with delicate beads of mango pop deliciously in the mouth.

We sipped on some delicate flavoured tea inspired cocktails, which were fresh and not too sweet, the Red Lipstick - Assam tea with cranberry juice, strawberry jam & lemonade being the favourite.

This is an afternoon tea with a difference and we highly recommend it and are keen to return again very soon!

The Afternoon Tea by Eric Lanlard costs AED 195/ per person, or AED 245/per person for the Stratos Tippling Tea served with a Pot of Hendricks, Cucumber, Raspberry and Elderflower Punch. Champagne Lovers can enjoy the Champagne Afternoon Tea for AED 295/per person.

For more info: www.stratosabudhabi.com

#DubaiDining

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

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Coffee

The Speciality Coffee scene in Dubai just got a little bit bigger with the launch of Gold Box Roastery. I first met the Gold Box team in their new warehouse roastery in Al Quoz a while ago where, over a coffee or two, we sat on a newly made table chatting about all things coffee. The ladies behind the roastery are not only passionate coffee fans but they are pretty good at DIY too. Not only have they painted the warehouse themselves, they have decorated their office too, and even made the table that we sat at for our first meeting!

Third Wave Coffee, is a movement to produce high quality coffee where coffee is seen as an artisan product rather than a commodity. Typically, third wave coffee involves improvements in all parts of the coffee lifecycle starting from sourcing (direct trade), high quality coffee beans (speciality coffee), single origin coffee (no blended coffee), fresh roasting (usually roasted in the last few weeks), latte art plus the revival of traditional brewing methods eg vacuum coffee and pour-over brewing devices eg Chemex/V60. There’s also an increase in customer engagement, so that the customer knows more about what they are drinking and the taste profile of the coffee being served.

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Speciality Coffee refers to the quality of the coffee in terms of flavour and taste characteristics, it applies to a coffee scoring 80 points and above on a 100 point scale.

Gold Box Roastery The Coffee: Born out of a passion for good coffee, Goldbox started as a small UK company and has now been brought to Dubai by three passionate coffee lovers with a shared dream to have a coffee shop. They not only have the shop, they have their very own roastery and are qualified roasters who will roast onsite using their specially imported Probat machine.

Coffee is made using beans from around the world including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda & Indonesia. Some of the beans are scored above 85 in the Cup of Excellence are are 100%

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arabica, some are certified fair trade & organic. There are a variety of brewing methods available, and this is certainly a sociable coffee place to hangout and pass the time with the team as they brew coffee and share stories about their coffee farm visits to Brazil and Kenya.

With a passion for sharing their coffee with the masses, they are taking their coffee to events in their Gold Piaggio (the only one in the world) affectionately called Fernando, who along with being decked out in a stunning gold is a fully mobile espresso Bar. Fernando (and his yet to be named sister) is equipped with the industries most

advanced coffee brewing system serving up some really impressive coffee on the go. You will also see the Gold Box “Trike" a modified pedal bike also decked out in stunning gold, which is super eco friendly out and about in Dubai too!

Gold Box Roastery is located next to the Warehouse Gym on Umm Seqeim Road. They can also be found at various events around Dubai, you can't miss them - just look out for for Fernando or the Trikes decked out in gold, their look is “so Dubai”!

#DubaiDining

BBC Good Food Show Dubai

The launc wareh on a roast too. N their

Silvena Rowe talks about indulgent superfood

Paul Hollywood in the supertheatre

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Ed Baines talks to Lotta Duncan

Paul Hollywood amidst fans in the supertheatre

The audience in the Supertheatre

Speciality Coffee scene in Dubai just got a little bit bigger with the ch of Gold Box Roastery. I first met the Gold Box team in their new house roastery in Al Quoz a while ago where, over a coffee or two, we sat newly made table chatting about all things coffee. The ladies behind the tery are not only passionate coffee fans but they are pretty good at DIY Not only have they painted the warehouse themselves, they have decorated office too, and even made the table that we sat at for our first meeting!

Andy Bates kickstarting the press launch at Vida Downtown

FoodeMag dxb had been the 'Official E-Magazine Partner'!

Meeting our favourite chefs toiling in the supertheatres under glamorous archlights, hearing them chat on the Interview Stage, meeting our competition winners, new foodie partners on site, food blogger friends, our readers who had never seen any face behind our social media handles... our experience as the emagazine partner of the first ever BBC Good Food Show Dubai 2015 was like a huge sugar rush... we look forward to the 2nd edition next year, sans the teething problems!

#bbcgoodfoodshowdubai James Martin takes centrestage in the Supertheatre

Atul Kochhar and his protĂŠge, Amrish Sood

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www.booncoffee.com The origin of coffee, pure and simple

#Travel

A Tale of Travellers...

Taking a year out from the rat-race to explore the world, former Dubai journalists Lucy Taylor and Joe Mortimer chart the highs and lows of life on the road, and travelling as a couple. This time from Costa Rica!

Arenal Volcano in central Costa Rica

Costa Rica...

By Lucy Forbes Taylor www.lucytaylortravels.com

according to her

A year of travel, packed full of new countries, cultures, cuisines and experiences, is an incredible thing – and to be able to share all that with your significant other is pretty special.

For the most part. But, as absolutely everyone warned us when we set off on this adventure, travelling as a couple, spending 24 hours a day in each other’s company, can get a little... irritating. Particularly when you factor in the other grump-inducing elements such as uncomfortable cross-country bus journeys, packet-noodle dinners, bug-infested hostels and general penny-pinching.

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But there is a way to handle the ‘couple cabin-fever’: take day off from time to time. Go and do your own thing, and by the time you meet up in the evening you’ll have forgotten the bickering and have new things to chat about.

The simple fact is that everyone needs a break sometimes, or even the most loving of couples will end up wanting to throttle each other.

Certainly we were feeling rather sour-tempered when we finally arrived in Costa Rica after a lengthy trip on a hot, overcrowded minibus, and a death-defying border crossing

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by foot, over a rickety old railway bridge with missing planks and gaping holes.

So upon our arrival in the central cloud forest region, we decided it was high time we spent a day doing our own thing.

And there’s plenty to choose from: the regions of Monteverde and Santa Elena are attracting growing numbers of outdoorsy travellers, eager to hike up smoking volcanoes, splash under picturesque waterfalls or explore the cloud forest via zip-line.

La Fortuna Waterfall

In fact, there are numerous adventure parks offering highwire tours of the mist-garlanded treetops, and I jumped at the chance to try it for myself.

As I flew through the trees with Aventura Canopy Tours – home to Latin America’s longest zip-line, a whopping 1,590-metre wire crossing a deep valley – Joe (never a fan of heights) remained grounded, heading off on a guided ATV tour of the thick forest.

It may have just been the adrenalin of zip-lining and offroading, but we were definitely in better moods after our separate adventures!

It was with light hearts that we boarded our next battered minibus for the long journey to the western Nicoya Peninsula.

And while it might still be small, crowded and lacking in AC, at least there was no bridge border-crossing to deal with this time.

Arenal Volcano in central Costa Rica. Lucy checking out the cloud forest

Joe admires the low cloud engulfing the forest

Incredible rock formations along the southern Nicoya coastline

Costa Rica...

By Joe Mortimer www.somewhereinthebetween.org

according to him When you’re on the road for a prolonged period, hunger is the driving force of many an unexpected adventure. The aroma of sizzling meat or a waft of heady spices is usually enough to send us wandering aimlessly down side streets and peering through doorways to find its source.

But not all foodie treats are as hard to find.

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Finally arriving in the small beach town of Santa Teresa on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, after a daylong series of minibus, taxi, ferry and public bus rides, we were exhausted, grimy and famished; a state which is rarely conducive to long strolls around a new town looking for sustenance.

Sunset opposite Kokua Hostel in Santa Teresa

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We had booked into a small hostel called Kokua, which was popular among surfers, and didn’t hold out much hope of finding anything to eat nearby. But when we wandered out into the garden to seek dining advice among the lithe and tanned guests, resident Italian chef Andrea was firing up the stove in a rustic outdoor kitchen.

Boats off the Nicoya Peninsula

Heading off to a surf lesson with our new hostel chums

Andrea – a die-hard surfer – had been a regular at the hostel. Last year, he asked the owners if he could turn part of the spacious communal garden into a kitchen, and soon after, El Quincho was born.

And so it was that in a garden in the back of beyond, somewhere in the wilds of Costa Rica, we feasted on fresh bruschetta drizzled with Italian olive oil, homemade pasta with tangy tomato sauce, and delicious handmade beef burgers layered with fresh tomatoes, crisp lettuce and crunchy pickles, all cooked by a trained Italian chef.

We quickly forgot about the horrors of the journey and obeyed a sign on the bar, which read: “Eat good food with good friends.”

Despite, or perhaps because of its surfing credentials, Santa Teresa has become something of a foodie haven. In between and after surf lessons (during which we were battered by the wild Pacific) we dined at an endless line-up of restaurants, bars, beach shacks and hole-in-the-wall eateries that rarely disappointed.

But nothing tasted as good as the food we ate on that first night, when we thought all hope of a decent meal was lost, but found food and friendship around a makeshift kitchen made from driftwood and camaraderie. Sometimes, serendipity smiles on those who expect it least.

Getting ready for a surf lesson!

#CulinaryTravel

The Tom Yum Story: bringing flavours back from Thailand!

If there is one country that Team FEM is obsessed with, is definitely Thailand (amongst a few other countries). We have made numerous visits to this country and have come back with suitcases filled with Thai curry pastes, sauces and spices and have started to believe that we are quite an expert on Thai cooking. While our Editor, Ishita B Saha, talks about her culinary experience in Krabi in South Thailand - where the famous Tom Yum soup has its origin, our Travel & Features Editor, Debbie Rogers, shares the recipe learnt from Silom Thai Cooking School. Now, all you have to do is wow your guest with your 'spicy' wisdom!

By Debbie Rogers www.coffeecakesandrunning.me

Tom Yum Goong, Creamy Style Ingredients

1/2 cup medium size prawns, peeled and deveined 1 straw mushroom (or any type of mushroom) quartered 1 lemongrass, cut into pieces 1 kaffir lime leaf torn in half 10 slices of galangal ginger 1/2 tbsp fish sauce – you may replace with soy sauce 1/4 tbsp lime juice (or lemon) 1 cup water or chicken stock 1/2 tomato cut into quarters 1 tbsp coriander leaves and fresh chillies 1 tbsp green onions chopped (we used spring onions) 1/2 tbsp red Thai Chilli paste (also available in regular stores)

2 tbsp coconut milk 3 birds eye chilies/Thai chili – more if you like it really spicy

Method •

• • •

Put lemongrass, galangal ginger, kaffir lime leaves, mushrooms, chilies and tomato into the water and bring the the boil, cook until tender.

Add the prawns and cook until tender.

Add coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce and Thai chili paste.

Serve hot and garnish with fresh coriander and fresh chilies.

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The weather is cooler and whilst it’s still warm compared to many parts of the world, I can’t help but hanker for warming food, especially if it happens to be spicy and fragrant like Thai food.

My love for Thai food has been enhanced by my several trips to Thailand and I do manage to cook Thai food regularly at home. In my recent trip to Thailand, I visited the infamous Silom Thai Cooking School and learnt how to cook Thai food from the experts. The Tom Yum soup is one of my Thai favourite dishes, which not only pack a punch in terms of authentic flavours but is also quick and easy to make.

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Buying Thai Ingredients in Dubai It’s getting easier to get Thai ingredients in Dubai now as compared to few years back. Most supermarkets stock a good variety of fresh Thai vegetables, usually in the chiller counter. Other ingredients like fish sauce and Thai pastes are usually found in the Asian, Ethnic or Imported aisle of the larger supermarkets. I’ve even spotted a Thai Red Curry pack with all of the main vegetables and herbs at Union Co-Op! For a more authentic ingredient hunt, head over to the Thailand Food Store in Karama near the Karama Fish Market. Don’t let anything stop you from your kitchen experiments and even if you can’t find all of the ingredients, there are often reasonable substitutes, for example, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce, regular ginger instead of galangal etc TIP: If you love Thai food and want to cook at home but don’t want to make your own pastes etc, then you can find tubs and jars of ready made pastes in all of the major supermarkets. They are a good cupboard standby and can be stored in the fridge for a long time, although we have to admit that these can’t beat the taste of a home made paste!

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The Tom Yum Story continued...

By Ishita B Saha www.ishitaunblogged.com

And it all started with my trip to Krabi!

I had been a lucky member of a Dubai team who had descended on a small fishing island called Koh Klang, situated in the Krabi region of South Thailand. Unlike the other popular destinations in Thailand, Krabi is relatively less known - thus giving us a different perspective of Thailand. I came back with the knowledge that not only does the Tom Yum originate from Krabi, but also the Southern Thai cuisine is very different from the popular Thai dishes that have exported out of the country.

What is the Tom Yum fuss all about?

I was told that the Tom Yum originates from the region of Krabi. The word Tom Yum is derived from the two words – tom and yam. While the former refers to the boiling process, yam means ‘mixing’ and refers to the sour and spicy Thai salad, also popular in Laos. The Tom Yum soup is the unique hot and sour soup with a fragrant broth, the fragrance resulting from the use of ingredients like Lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, Galangal, lime juice, fish sauce and crushed chili peppers. The surname lagging behind the Tom Yum depends upon the *protein* ingredient that goes into the soup. Tom yum goong or Tom yam kung has prawns; Tom yam pla is a clear fish soup; Tom yum thale has mixed seafood, like prawns, squid, clams and pieces of fish; Tom yam nam khon has prawns, milk or coconut milk; Tom kha gai has chicken and Galangal (ginger) as the dominant flavour in this coconut milk-based soup; Tom yam kung maphrao on nam khon is another version with prawn and meat of young coconut in a coconut milk broth; Tom yam kha mu has pork knuckles. Modern additions to the Tom Yum are straw mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, freshly chopped coriander leaves. Packaged DIY Tom Yum packs flood the supermarket shelves and groceries in Thailand - needless to add here that they filled up most part of my suitcases back home!

Southern Thai Cuisine

Fishermen's Village, Koh Klang

In the southern way of Thai cooking (as we learnt later from our cooking class in the Fishermen's Village) there is a lot of usage of Turmeric. In fact, the Thai Red Curry in Krabi didn't have the red colour that we are so familiar with, because whole Turmeric or Kamin is ground along with red chilies, thereby diluting the intensity of the red colour. In Southern Thai curries, there is a prevalence of coconut milk and fresh turmeric in most dishes, as compared to other regions in Thailand.

Different forms of sea weed are eaten raw or dipped in a dried shrimp paste.

Tom Yum Goong, Kotung Restaurant

The Thai way of eating – all together, at the same time!

At the end of my trip, I had learnt some characteristics of Thai food and the eating culture of Thai people.

Whether a restaurant is small or big, all food is served at the same time to all tables. Ideally, there’s no concept of Starters or Main course. The cooking starts once the guests pour into the restaurant so that food can be served freshly cooked. But, not necessarily hot! This is because all the dishes ordered are cooked together and served only when the last dish has been cooked. Also, the Thai people like to mix their food while they eat.

So, soup gets mixed up with starters and slurped into the mouth along with some noodles. I had asked my co-diners, specially the locals who were sitting at thae same table as me, whether it is a usual thing to cook so many items for regular meals at home. It seems like the food that we had been eating in the restaurants was not drastically different from what the Thai people ate at home. The more dishes on the table, the better they like it. And the number of dishes is proportional to the number of family members.

For more info: www.tourismthailand-middleeast.org

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The Tom Yum Story continued... thin vermicelli noodles resembling Srilankan string hoppers

Lobster in Thai red chilli sauce

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Dragon fruit along with other cut fruits formed our dessert platter

Riding the tides with Shallow-water fishing

The clam soup

In Love with Hoi Talab Lai Tom Takrai!

Almost every meal in our Thailand trip had a dish with clams or shells. Whether In the floating restaurant in Koh Klang or the Thai Chinese Restaurant called Kotung in the main town of Krabi, I had fallen in love with the clam soup with lemongrass or the Hoi Talab Lai Tom Takrai. A very light clear broth with boiled clams, it had a strong flavour of ginger and lemongrass seemed very comforting.

In some places, Basil was a dominant flavour in the Clam soup – the Hoy Lai Pad Horapu. I liked the sweetness of basil which was strong and nice, even though it overpowered the stir fried clams.

The island life in Koh Klang

#SpecialFeature

Doing Dubai Differently: new goals, new lights & new heights!

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6:05:02am November 13, 2015

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By Ishita B Saha www.ishitaunblogged.com

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The First Sunrise Club 'At The Top'!

I can count the number of sunrises I have seen in my life, as energy and life pumps into my brains and body only after sundown - this has to be my most 'awakening' urban highs ever. Thanks to Sally Prosser, our Food Sourcing Expert, we were queued up for the first ever sunrise tour at the top. Definitely not a clichĂŠd touristic-things-to-do, this experience is worth getting up at the crack of dawn for! For more info: www.burjkhalifa.ae

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