Must try food in the Maldives – delight your taste buds with these delicious dishes

The Maldivian version of a favourite flatbread found all over South Asia, freshly baked Roshi is available at pretty much every eatery in the Maldives. Generally serving as a substitute for rice during main meals, Roshi can be eaten either as an accompaniment to a hearty bowl of broth or alongside a spicy curry. In addition, you can also find several eateries selling a deep-fried version of Roshi which is stuffed with a spicy potato and fish filling, similar to an Indian stuffed paratha.

Whether at one of the many resorts in the Maldives like Adaaran Prestige Water Villas, for instance, or a small roadside café, you will always find fish on the menu. Mas Huni is probably one of the top choices for breakfast dishes among locals – Mas Hunt is a simple but tasty dish of shredded smoked fish served with freshly scrapped coconut, raw onions and hot Roshi.

A visit to the Maldives isn't complete without savouring the local version of this dish. Influenced by countries like Sri Lanka and India, curries form the most basic part of Maldivian meals, and egg curry is one of their best. The Maldivian version of this curry has a thick, flavorful gravy that's got a spicy kick to it. Egg curry can be found at most restaurants and food vendors.

While modern recipes are taking precedence over old recipes these days, there are still several oldies that locals love too much to give up. Garudhiya is not only a traditional dish, it is also the national dish of the Maldives. A clear fish broth made from tuna, it can either be served with rice or Roshi. There are some versions of the recipe that includes boiled taro or breadfruit in the soup, which is then served with a handful of freshly scrapped coconut.

Imagine sitting on the deck of a Maldives water villa, watching the sun go down while you munch on delectable crunchy fish balls – who wouldn't like that? Gulha is a savoury snack and a popular option for locals who want a quick bite on the go. These crunchy balls of goodness are made from smoked tuna, ginger, curry leaves, lemon, green chillies and many other ingredients, combined with scrapped coconut flesh and flour to form a dough. The dough is shaped into balls and then deep fried.

For those craving something sweet, Maldives does have a few unique dessert recipes that are worth tasting, and Foni Boakibaa is one of them. This sweet treat is a rice pudding which is baked as a cake. It has a creamy texture to it, with a slight sweetness from the addition of fresh coconut and sugar.

This really refers to a range of snacks or 'short eats' as they are known locally. Almost all of them are fish based and deep fried – some of these include bajiya – a triangle shaped pastry filled with fish, onions and coconut, keemia – deep fried fish rolls, and masroshi – baked Roshi filled with fish. There are several varieties of Hedhika and no two eateries serve the same recipe.