10 Dishes to Try in the Maldives- Dive into tasty Maldivian fare!

Garudhiya is a fish soup and is considered the national dish of the Maldives. The flavourful soup is made from skipjack 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 a popular breakfast in the Maldives. This simple dish is made from tuna, chilli, onion, and grated coconut. The ingredients get mixed into the coconut and eaten with roshi and a sweet tea on the side. Another variation includes a combination of green leaves and moringa pods to substitute the fish in part or whole during times of fish scarcity.

A tasty snack of 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 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 bunch of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and rose water are added to make the dessert aromatic and flavourful.

Flaked tuna gets mixed with grated coconut, ground rice, and onions and baked on the stovetop or oven. This dish, almost like a fish cake, is a common preparation in many homes and the Maldives restaurants and cafes around Male, and Hulhulmale.

This is a sweet treat that is also known as cassava cake. This is made from the boiled cassava root, coconut, rose essence and sugar. It has a creamy texture and is a popular treat during Ramadan.

Also called Tharukaaree Riha, this mixed vegetable curry is filled with vegetables like pumpkin, sweet potato, beans, and carrots. The flavourful curry is enriched with coconut milk, pandan leaves, curry 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 The Residence Maldives are among the places to look out for!

Gulha is a distinct Maldivian treat made from a dough of rice/wheat flour and loaded with tuna, onions, coconut and chillies. The dumplings are deep fried, so they are crunchy on the exterior and soft as you bite into them.

It is made from banana blossoms and is a nutritious and flavorful dish, somewhat in between a salsa and a salad. The dish incorporates banana flowers, fresh coconut, lime, chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, and cumin.

Fried yams are a popular snack in the Maldives and are similar to sweet potatoes. Filled with fibre, vitamins, and minerals, it's a much healthier alternative to fries and is served with a range of sauces for the ultimate snack.