Among Maldives' traditional cuisines, Rihaakuru is among the most well-known and popular. It goes well with both rice and roshi which is a type of Maldivian flat bread. Despite its odd appearance, the dish offers rich, complex flavours.
Producing Rihaakuru is a laborious process. The tuna is cooked in a mixture of water and salt for several hours, during which time it is stirred constantly to prevent sticking until the mixture produces a thick, dark paste. Together with Rihaakuru and other native side dishes like fried fish, masmirus, and a mixture of dried fish and chilli.