PLUS CHINESE NEW YEAR VALENTINE’S DAY PANCAKE DAY FOODIE TRAVEL WHAT TO EAT IN 2023 Dates, kelp, ube, SWICY food and more PL ANT forward WHOLESOME VEGAN AND VEGGIE MEALS JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2023 DHS 10 (inclusive of VAT) pg1_Cover_JAN-FEB 2023_FINAL.indd 112/22/2022 11:05:19 AMEDITOR ’S LET TER 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. CEO SUNIL KUMAR GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMERCIAL TOM HARVEY GENERAL MANAGER OF MARKETING WARWICK GIRD CREATIVE AND CONTENT DIRECTOR TIFFANY ESLICK tiffany.e@fi nefarefood.com DEPUTY CONTENT EDITOR KAREN D’SOUZA DESIGNERS MICHELLE CLEMENTS, FRANCIS GACER & GIHANE YOUSSEF SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ANKIET GULABANI DIGITAL EDITOR DEVINA DIVECHA DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR REEMA RAHMAN DIGITAL CONTENT WRITER LYNN SOUBRA CONTENT ASSISTANT DIANNA ACIBAR CONTRIBUTORS ZAHRA ABDALLA, KATELYN ALLEGRA, EMILY EVANS, HELEN FARMER, AASIYA JAGADEESH, STEPHEN PHELAN, LINDSAY TRIVERS & CASSANDRA UPTON THIS MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF SPINNEYS DUBAI LLC BY © 2023 SPINNEYS DUBAI LLC Happy New Year! We’re looking forward to what 2023 has in store. What we know for sure is that several food trends will be in focus: plant-forward cooking will dominate; ‘SWICY’ (sweet and spicy) is set to be the new flavour profile, dates have been rediscovered and will be repurposed around the world as a natural, plant-based sweetener, kelp is the superfood; fancy tinned fish will be the ingredient of choice for toppings, tacos and terrines; ube – the Philippines’ purple yam – will be uber popular; the warm, comforting tastes of curries from around the world are under the spotlight; and from meal-prep to packaging, convenience will be the buzz word. We’ve covered all the above in detail in this issue, plus so much more. Additional highlights include an assortment of vegan and vegetarian recipes, our beginner’s guide to fermentation, an interview with chef Faisal Naser from LENTO, celebratory recipes for Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day and Pancake Day and a foodie adventure in the Maldives. Happy reading and cooking! Until next time, EDITOR ’S LET TER 3 pg3_Eds Letter_Jan-Feb 2023.indd 312/21/2022 12:58:36 PM4 MEET THE PRODUCERS 36 GOOD EGGS We source free-range, organic and Omega-3 eggs from The Nest Box Egg Company in Ireland. This family-run business works with farmers across the country to bring best-quality eggs from happy hens to you 38 CHESHIRE TREASURES We work with the Heler family to bring you a range of authentic and award-winning British cheese that’s produced to time honoured recipes. Meet father and son duo Mike and George to fi nd out more... WEEKNIGHT WONDERS 42 Whip up nutritious, family-friendly and easy dinners using our stir-fry meal deal packs Recipe features PLANT POWER 48 TOFU TALK Whether you’re vegan or fl exitarian, this high-protein, low-fat ingredient comes in a variety of forms. Try our recipes for tofu waffl es, shawarma and more 52 FUN WITH FERMENTATION Our beginner’s all-in-one guide to understanding and working with fermented products. Master kimchi, kombucha, kefi r and more Regulars THE CUT 08 WORD OF MOUTH New products, trends and events 10 7 OF A KIND Vegan chocolate 12 DRINKS 14 RESTAURANT ROUND-UP Vegan fi ne dining 16 SLOW & STEADY Emirati chef and restaurateur Faisal Naser believes in taking his time to do things right and applies that ethos to every aspect of his burger concept, LENTO 18 USE IT UP Don’t discard leftover greens, herbs, overripe fruit and vegetable peels. Use them to make chilled soups, wholesome vegetable stocks and fruity froyos 20 READ, WATCH, LISTEN Cookbook, podcast and streaming recommendations FOOD FOR THOUGHT 24 FUTURE FOCUSED A look at the latest food trends, sought-after ingredients and even gourmet pet food 26 THE ALCHEMIST We’ve always been drawn to individuals who think out of the box and forge their own paths. Meet UAE-based artist and culinary researcher Nahla Tabbaa who is creating art through alchemy 28 BACK TO BASICS Returning to age-old cooking techniques, preserving traditional recipes and using local ingredients can all have an impact on the world around us. Find out why the Slow Food movement matters IN SEASON 30 Make the most of our organic citrus, locally-grown berries, capsicums, aubergines and more 4 JA NU AR Y – FEB RUARY 20 23 pg04-05_Contents_Jan-Feb_2023.indd 412/21/2022 1:28:30 PM5 48 COVER RECIPE: CHILLED GREEN SOUP – PG 19 47 24 72 AL-DESKO DINING Try these delicious make-ahead lunches for when you work from home or head into the offi ce 76 WINTER WARMER Zahra Abdalla enjoys experimenting in the kitchen. Here she shares a recipe for a “Western-style pea soup” to which she adds or subtracts Asian fl avours depending on her mood 78 MAD ABOUT MUSHROOMS You won’t miss meat with these fl avourful recipes for sloppy joes, koftas, skewers, rolls and tacos 82 THE WAY FORWARD Plant-based, GMO-free and delicious, Future Farm’s burger patties, meatballs, mince and sausages are great for veggie versions of spaghetti and meatballs, burgers and more Live well LET’S CELEBRATE 86 LUCKY DIP Chinese New Year on 22 January is a time for sharing blessings and feasting on dishes symbolic of wealth, good fortune and longevity such as dumplings, spring rolls and noodles 90 LOVE BITES Surprise your Valentine with dishes inspired by popular love phrases LITTLE COOKS 100 Celebrate a truly international Pancake Day with pancakes from France, Germany, Korea and more 66 101 108 106 GLOW UP Head into 2023 with products that will help your look and feel your best 108 BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Boost your physical and mental well-being with No Ugly’s range of beverages, now available at Spinneys 110 DESERT ISLAND DISHES Gili Lankanfushi in the Maldives promises innovative and creative culinary experiences that you will never forget. While it was tough to narrow their options down, here’s our pick of their highlights 112 FIVE TO TRY: FAMILY-FRIENDLY STAYCAYS The weather is perfect for a night (or two) away with the kids – from child-friendly buffets to water slides, Helen Farmer rounds up some destinations that will keep everyone happy SEAFOOD SWAPS Prepare wholesome meals using vegan and veggie alternatives that provide the same nutrients as fi sh and seafood would do for your diet pg04-05_Contents_Jan-Feb_2023.indd 512/21/2022 1:28:31 PMBECAUSE TAS TE IS EVERYTH ING . For seasonal recipe inspiration, visit www.kerrygold.com/ara bia7 7 The cut Food, restaurant and product news that we think is worthy of being on the list! LENTO by chef Faisal Naser pg7_The Cut Opener_Jan-Feb_2023.indd 712/21/2022 12:59:09 PM8 THE CUT Word of mouth New products, the latest trends and foodie news Award-winning snack brand Squirrel Sisters was founded by Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell in 2015. The entire Squirrel Sisters range is free of added sugar, vegan and gluten-free. The sweetness comes from natural ingredients such as dates. Look out for the peanut caramel bar which is also a source of plant protein in stores now. SI M PLY the best Foodies, keep your calendars free at the end of January for the best of the best will be descending on Abu Dhabi once again. A series of exclusive culinary experiences will take place in the run up to the second edition of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards on 30 January 2023. Mauro Colagreco, Tala Bashmi, Hiroyasu Kawate and Karim Bourgi are just some of the stars who will be offering one-time only dining events ahead of the big night. Diners can reserve tables through each host restaurant, which will have its own booking system. Sister Act RISING STARS The winners of the third edition of Spinneys Local Business Incubator have been announced and we can’t wait to see more of these home-grown brands in store. Rory’s Apawthecary is geared toward our favourite furry companions. Developed out of a desire to use pet products that are no different from the ones made for humans, Rory’s Apawthecary offers a line of non-toxic, plant-based and cruelty-free dog shampoo, conditioner, ear cleaner, blankets and more. Shona Hind is the founder of Free Me Company, which makes DEET- and chemical-free mosquito repellent spray. It contains organic essential oils of citronella and lemongrass. The mosquito repellent was only the fi rst of a line of naturally kind products. Shona’s customers wanted more so she developed an organic after sun soother made from aloe vera juice, rose water and organic English chamomile essential oil. More products are currently in the pipeline. New parents Layla and Hamdan Khafaji were inspired to create Rumi, a baby food brand offering nutrient-dense and convenient products, after the birth of their son Rumi. It promises to carve a niche for itself by offering products that are made from locally-sourced, organic ingredients without any added sugar, dairy, gluten, GMOs, antibiotics, gums and pesticides. Handcrafted in the UAE, Frio is the MENA’s fi rst artisan sparkling water. It has fi ve fl avours at present – classic, grapefruit, coconut, strawberry and lemon – available in sleek 330ml aluminium cans. Yara Mersi is the brains behind Oatful, the UAE’s fi rst high-protein, overnight oats. She and her team have developed fi ve delicious overnight oats mixes that are packed with 20g+ of protein, superfoods and fi bre. IN STOR ES NO W pg8_Word of Mouth_Jan-Feb_2023.indd 812/21/2022 12:59:29 PMNext >