7 Dishes to Try in the Maldives - A taste of the Maldives!

Garudhiya is a fish soup and is considered a national dish of the Maldives. Seafood is an important ingredient in the archipelago and the main source of protein for its inhabitants. The Maldivian fish industry is the second most important means of revenue after tourism. The flavourful soup is made from skipjack tuna or yellowfin tuna. The clear fish broth gets flavoured with lime and salt and is served with a helping of rice or roshi, the Maldivian flatbread. It also gets served with boiled yams or breadfruit and a serving of freshly grated coconut.

Mas Huni is the most popular type of breakfast you will encounter in the Maldives. This simple dish is made from tuna, chilli, onion and grated coconut. The ingredients get mixed into the coconut and are eaten with roshi, with a sweet tea on the side. Another variation includes a combination of green leaves to substitute the fish in part or whole during fish scarcities. It is also made by mixing the flesh of boiled moringa pods alongside the other ingredients.

A tasty and popular snack in the Maldives, bis keemiya is a pastry filled with hard-boiled eggs, flaked tuna, onions and sautéed cabbage. It is widely obtainable in street-side shops and cafés around Male and other inhabited islands.

Sago is a favourite dessert in the Maldives and the South Asian region and is eaten regularly to help cool down the body. It is extracted from the pith of the palm tree, Metroxylon sagu. In Maldivian cooking, the sago gets boiled in fresh coconut milk to form a thick pudding-like texture, which is served with sweetened condensed milk. A range of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and rose water is added to make the mixture fragrant and more flavourful.

This dish is similar to tuna fish cake made from tuna and is a speciality found on the islands.
Flaked tuna fish gets mixed with grated coconut, ground rice, and onions which get baked on the stovetop or oven. This dish is a common preparation at many a Maldives restaurant and cafes around Male.

Aluvi boakibaa is a sweet treat known as cassava cake, made from grated cassava root, coconut, rose essence, and sugar. It has a melt-in-the-mouth creamy texture and is a popular treat during Ramadan.

The vegetarian version of the fish curry is a tasty change from the mostly fish-based dishes found in the Maldives, and one dish vegetarians will love. Also called Tharukaaree Riha, this mixed vegetable curry is filled with vegetables like carrots, sweet potato, beans, and pumpkin. The flavourful curry is enriched with coconut milk, curry leaves, pandan leaves and a host of fragrant spices. It is best eaten with plain white rice. Many of these dishes will be available in most resorts as well; the likes of VARU by Atmosphere are among the places to look out for!