Joanna James
If you are planning a holiday in the exotic land of the Maldives, you must add sampling its delicious food to your list of things to do. Maldivian cuisine offers some unforgettable flavours.
Better known to tourists as fish soup, Garudhiya isn't the most appealing dish to foreigners, but if you just take a sip of it, you'll be forever in love with the delicious flavour and the aroma of it. Tuna is the fish used for this, and it's boiled in a base of water mixed with spices, lime juice, and pandan leaves. This is one of the healthy dishes in the Maldives and is served at places like OBLU SELECT Sangeli Maldives. A bowl of rice will go well with the flavours of Garudhiya, but you can also have bread or roti with it.
If you favour a savoury breakfast, Mashuni should be your go-to breakfast dish. It's a simple dish made of simple ingredients found on the islands. Tuna is the main ingredient and mixed with it are chopped onions and grated coconut. This is a filling dish eaten with bread or roti; you can also spread it over a bed of rice. After your hearty breakfast of Mashuni, you should wash down the flavours with a cup of sweet tea.
This is the Maldivian version of flatbread. Made of flour, grated coconut, and water, Masroshi is flat, circle-shaped dough cooked on a grill on both sides. You can have this any time you want, but locals prefer to have Masroshi with their morning or evening tea.
Gulha, or dumplings, is deep-fried balls of fish. The mixture is made of tuna, onions, pepper, and chilli. You can find these at any roadside stall as well as at the best family resort in the Maldives.
This is a versatile dish you can enjoy with bread, rice, or roti. To make the dish, Maldivians cut tuna into manageable cubes and sauté them with onions, pandan leaves, and curry leaves. Add to the sauteed mixture is water or coconut milk flavoured with an array of spices and condiments, including salt, pepper, chilli, garlic, and lime juices. The curry is cooked on low to medium heat for a few minutes and is served with your preferred choice of accompaniment.
Similar to fish curry, chicken curry is made with loads of spices, coconut milk, pandan leaves, coconut oil, and curry leaves. The curry is simmered on low to medium heat for about ten to fifteen minutes before it's served with a bowl of rice, bread, or roti.
If you want a break from all the spicy and savoury Maldivian dishes, you can turn to Saagu Bondibai. This is a dessert item made of sago, coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom. This is refreshing and cooling on a hot day in the Maldives. You can have this at any time of the day, but it's usually served after lunch or dinner.
Another Maldivian dish made of fish; reef cutlets are a snack. You can find it anywhere in the Maldives, especially at roadside stalls. The outside of the cutlet is crunchy, and the inside is soft and chewy. If you plan to explore the street markets in Male, don't forget to buy some reef cutlets and make your shopping experience a delightful one.
Feeling thirsty? Order a glass of Maldivian Lady. This is a blend of fruit juices, rum, and brandy, perfect for your beach date.
The Maldives is a tea-drinking nation, and there's a range of teas you can enjoy here. Maldivians like to add sugar to their tea and pair it with something spicy.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
