When is the UAE’s next public holiday?

The Eid Al Adha break may now be over, but there are still more public holidays to look forward to in the UAE this year.

Employees enjoyed an extended weekend from Thursday to Sunday, June 5 to 8, with work resuming on Monday, June 9.

The next public holiday of the year is Islamic, or Hijri New Year, which heralds the beginning of Muharram, the first of 12 months on the Islamic calendar.

This is set to fall on Thursday, June 26, according to the latest astronomical predictions, but if Dhu Al Hijja is a 30-day month, then Islamic New Year will fall on Friday, June 27, instead. When the date is confirmed, it will mark the beginning of the year 1447 in the Islamic calendar.

Expected dates for the UAE's next public holiday

In contrast to Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, no religious observances are prescribed for the Islamic New Year. It is generally regarded as a day of reflection rather than celebration.

After Islamic New Year, the Prophet Mohammed's birthday is expected to be marked on Thursday, September 4.

Meanwhile, Commemoration Day is pencilled in for Monday, December 1, while the public holidays for National Day will probably fall on Tuesday, December 2, and Wednesday, December 3.

BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."