Tomato

Tomatoes are the one thing almost every kitchen in Dubai runs out of first. Ours come in graded so the box and the kilo are the same fruit — firm, deep red, and heavy for their size.

For a curry base or a shorba you want them soft enough to break down; for a salad or a sandwich you want them firm enough to slice without collapsing. We pick towards the firmer end, because a firm tomato ripens on your counter in a day or two and a soft one has nowhere left to go.

Choose fruit with taut skin and no give at the shoulders. A little green at the stem is fine and often means better flavour a day later.

Keep tomatoes out of the fridge while they are still firm — cold flattens the flavour and turns the flesh mealy. A bowl on the counter, out of direct sun, is right. Once they are fully soft, the fridge buys you two or three more days.

Expect 4 to 6 days at room temperature from delivery.