Jaime Puebla
Jaime Puebla

Make it yourself: The perfect stir fry



Nadia el Dasher goes behind the scenes at the Noodle House in the Souk Qaryat Al Beri to ask award-winning chef and Chinese cuisine expert Sam Leong (right) how to create the perfect home-made version of her (and Sam's) favourite dish: Singaporean black pepper beef. INGREDIENTS: For the beef: 1kg beef tenderloin (sliced into wafer-thin strips) 1 egg white 2 tbsp cornflour Dash of sesame oil Black soy sauce

Half a sliced shallot Half a diced red or yellow pepper Piece of sliced ginger 4 spring onions sliced into 2.5cm pieces 1 tbsp crushed garlic 120ml vegetable oil For the black pepper sauce: 100ml oyster sauce 100ml ketchup Half tsp crushed garlic Half tsp crushed shallots Half tsp crushed ginger 1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper (more if desired) Dash of sesame seasoning

METHOD: Prepare the black pepper sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Marinate the beef strips in the egg white and cornflour to soften the meat. Add the vegetable oil to the wok or pan and wait until it is moderately hot, then add the beef strips. Be sure not to overheat as this will make the meat chewy and tough. Toss the beef around the wok to spread the heat evenly. When the beef begins to brown, add all the vegetables except the spring onions, and continue to toss and stir. When the meat and vegetables are half cooked, remove from the wok. Wash the wok (using a bamboo scrub brush, if available), drizzle fresh vegetable oil into the wok and spread all around. Fry the crushed garlic until its smell rises, then add the half-cooked beef, vegetables and spring onion, tossing them all together until everything is cooked to your liking. Add the black pepper and soy sauce, making sure to stir the sauce all the way through and serve immediately.

* Pay attention to the heat. Red meat needs to be cooked on medium heat so it doesn't stiffen. * Any deep-fried dish should be tossed into very hot oil. The searing hot oil "flash" cooks the food quickly and makes it crunchy. If it's not hot enough the batter will separate from the meat/vegetable. * Don't be scared of hot oil. If you gently lower into the wok the ingredients you are going to deep fry instead of tossing them from a distance, you're less likely to burn yourself. * Always taste the food before serving it. You can never be sure of the flavour until you try it. Then add salt or seasoning to taste. * Use natural ingredients instead of ready-made seasonings, with no MSG. Soften meat with egg whites and cornflour - these are perfect substitutes for artificial tenderisers.

Align your spine If you suffer from lower back pain, frequent sprains or headaches, your pillow, mattress or even your sleeping position could be to blame. Here's how to put it right-

Sleep on your right side. According to Dr Ali Damanhori from Tawam Hospital, this can help you completely relax and breathe better. Keep your spine curved. Dr Damanhori says that not maintaining its natural curve during sleep could cause your spine to form an irregular curve, encouraging the development of back hunches. To maintain your spine's natural curve, place a pillow between your bent legs while sleeping on your side. This reduces the weight of your legs and hips on your back while maintaining the natural curve. If you prefer sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your legs, letting them curve naturally and allowing the pelvis to rest in a comfortable position to eliminate lower back strain. You could go further by placing a small rolled-up towel or a thin small pillow under your lower back.

Don't sleep in a bundle. The spine would then be too curved. And avoid hunched shoulders. While sleeping on your side, place a pillow in front of you (along your chest) and place your top arm on that pillow for support. Sleeping on your stomach is another no-no. This can cause the lower back to sink in too much. Avoid unnecessary stretching. Stretching out too much during sleep can leave you aching and could even lead to muscle spasms.

Invest in a high-quality mattress. Your pillow and mattress should be firm, but not so firm that they would leave you sleepless and sore. You should still be able to sink into some areas. Look for medically approved or orthopaedic mattresses and pillows. They really do make a difference. Memory foam mattresses are recommended, as are medical air mattresses. Make sure your pillow is not too high. Your head should not tilt up or down but be perfectly aligned with the rest of your body. If at any time you feel uncomfortable or feel too much weight on your back, you may need to change your mattress and pillow. Ola Salem

The Dinosaur Trail at Al Ain Zoo Experience the "Lost World" at Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort, which is running a new Dinosaur Trail exhibition until July. An area the size of a football pitch has been transformed to a Jurassic Park-like world with life-size prehistoric animatronic beasts including the T-Rex, plus 23 other breathing, sneezing, roaring dinosaurs. The 300-metre-long tree-lined walking trail - the first of its kind in the UAE - has previously been on show in zoos in San Diego and Detroit and features characteristic period landscapes and lighting to illuminate the trail for evening visits. You can learn about the origin of dinosaurs, their habitats and the era in which they lived, plus junior paleontologists can help dig up dinosaur fossils, as well as get a behind-the-scenes look at how the robotic dinosaurs work. Tickets are Dh25 for adults and Dh15 for children. See www.awpr.ae

Vote online now Don't forget to vote for your favourite runner-up in our M magazine/Kitab Short Story Competition. The standard of entries was so high this year, that after choosing our winner and runner-up, we wanted to share four other stories with you that made our shortlist. All entitled Moving Messages, the stories by Steven Tweddell, Stephanie Mylchreest, Charlotte Sherwin and Carla McKay can be read at www.thenational.ae/shortstory and voted for online at www.thenational.ae. The story with the most votes will be published in the magazine at a later date. Voting closes on April 24.

Company%20Profile
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Mane points for safe home colouring
  • Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
  • Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
  • When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
  • Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
  • If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Scoreline

Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')

Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')

Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

THE LOWDOWN

Photograph

Rating: 4/5

Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies

Director: Ritesh Batra

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20EPD%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

Without Remorse

Directed by: Stefano Sollima

Starring: Michael B Jordan

4/5

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.