Maldivian Recipes

Maldivian cooking is fish cooking. Tuna, especially skipjack, appears at almost every meal: boiled, smoked, dried, curried or mashed with coconut. Coconut, as grated meat, milk and oil, is the second pillar, followed by rice, wheat flatbreads and starchy crops such as taro and breadfruit. Seasoning leans on onion, chili, lime, curry leaves and a little spice, and a spoonful of rihaakuru, a dark fish paste, adds depth to soups and curries. Breakfast is often mas huni with roshi, and tea time brings hedhikaa, small savory snacks such as gulha and bis keemiya served with sweet black tea at local tea shops. Meals are traditionally eaten with the right hand, with bananas, papaya and mango to finish. Resort menus are more international, but family kitchens and local cafes keep fish at the center of everything.

Staple ingredients

• tuna
• coconut
• rice
• wheat flour
• onions
• chilies
• lime
• curry leaves

• Breakfast 1
• Soups 1
• Main Dishes 1
• Breads 1
• Snacks 2

Breakfast

• Mas Huni (Maldivian Tuna and Coconut Breakfast)MV10 minEasy

Soups

• Garudhiya (Maldivian Tuna Broth)MV40 minEasy

Main Dishes

• Mas Riha (Maldivian Tuna Curry)MV50 minEasy

Breads

• Roshi (Maldivian Flatbread)MV35 minEasy

Snacks

• Bis Keemiya (Maldivian Tuna and Egg Pastry Rolls)MV1 h 15 minMedium
• Gulha (Maldivian Tuna and Coconut Fried Dumplings)MV1 h 5 minMedium