Figs are a central component of many successful rain forest ecosystems. From monkeys to fruit bats, parrots to pigeons, beetles to caterpillars, the number of species that rely on the fruit of the fig tree for survival is substantial. This in turn helps the forests - and, indeed, the planet - to flourish. Which makes it unsurprising that the fig tree has become a symbol of fecundity, abundance and good health all around the world.
The common fig tree is grown in hot, dry climates, from the Mediterranean to south-west Asia. It bears a green-skinned fruit about the size of the palm of your hand, which is often left to ripen and turn purple. It is believed that the fig tree was one of the first plants to be cultivated by humans. Preserved remains of ancient figs found at an archaeological site in the Jordan Valley suggest that people were growing crops of figs, similar to the ones we eat today, more than 11,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptian armies demonstrated their appreciation and understanding of this staple food by destroying the fig trees of their enemies. Figs were sacred to the god Dionysius in Greek mythology; and the word "sycophant" can be translated as "showing the figs", which refers to those who hoped to gain status by publicly revealing the identity of illegal fig smugglers.
When we bite into a fig, we're chewing on a piece of human history, a relic of the evolution of our species. So why has the fig always been held in such high regard? Fresh, ripe figs that are plump and tender to the touch reveal luscious pink flesh that bursts with sweetness. Dried figs are also very tasty eaten whole, or chopped and mixed with other dried fruits, nuts and spices and made into moist and crumbly cakes or breads. Figs can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes, whether it's sorbet or marmalade with foie gras. You can sprinkle chopped dried figs into your morning porridge, or stuff fresh figs with goat's cheese. Of all the varieties and cultivars of fig available, there's no doubt that most of them are uniformly delicious. But they're also incredibly good for us.
Figs are veritable medicine cabinets of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and copper. And they contain more than their fair share of antioxidants, flavonoids and polyphenols. Which all means that figs keep your intestines healthy, your blood pressure regulated and your pH levels in balance.
No wonder the world thrives on them.
jbrennan@thenational.ae
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)
Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)
Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)
Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)
Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)
Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)
Eibar v Alaves (7pm)
Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)
WWE Evolution results
- Trish Stratus and Lita beat Alicia Fox and Mickie James in a tag match
- Nia Jax won a battle royal, eliminating Ember Moon last to win
- Toni Storm beat Io Shirai to win the Mae Young Classic
- Natalya, Sasha Banks and Bayley beat The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag match
- Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Kairi Sane
- Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match
- Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s title by beating Nikki Bella
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
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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."
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
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