Joanna James
Surrounded by the fertile waters of the Indian Ocean and swaying coconut Palms, the Maldives is blessed with an abundance of seafood and wonderful coconuts. These are predominantly featured in their traditional cuisine compelling visitors to have an immersive indulgence as they enjoy the holiday.
An awesome curry full of flavour made using resulting from a fusion of different spices and herbs pounded or crushed and made into a paste to coat the cubed fish with. The coated fish is then cooked in coconut milk until all the flavours of the paste are absorbed into the fish and the curry becomes thick and oozing with aroma tempting visitors to enjoy this at many of the top restaurants in Maldives. This curry is eaten with roshi (an unleavened flat bread) similar to Indian chappatis or it can even be enjoyed with steamed rice and other accompaniments.
Also called Hedika this is a popular snack in the Maldives and is enjoyed as an evening snack along with a steaming cup of tea. Made using canned tuna or valhomas (smoked fish) which is flaked and mixed with ginger, lemon juice and chillis and sauteed in a mix of chopped onions and curry leaves and seasoned to taste. Once this filling has cooled to room temperature it is filled into triangular-shaped pockets made of flour. These triangular Bajiyas are then deep-fried and allowed to cool. Plenty of guests from properties like Hard Rock Hotel Maldives relish this snack frequently during their stay in the Maldives.
A favourite breakfast dish in the Maldives Mas meaning fish and Huni meaning desiccated coconut is a coming together of these two main ingredients with spices and flavours to offer a wholesome breakfast. The flaked tuna (or even boiled and flaked thoraa) is mixed with lemon juice, onion, chopped chilli and mixed with desiccated coconut and seasoned to perfection. The perfect Mashuni is eaten with freshly made roshi. (The flatbread)
A traditional dessert loved by the visitors as it is cherished by the locals. Made with sago seeds (saagu) which are brought to boil over medium heat in coconut milk with a hint of cardamom powder and rose essence. Served in a glass bowl with a dollop of condensed milk and topped with some chopped fresh fruits or dried fruits and chopped nuts this delightful dessert is enjoyed more than once by visitors during their stay in the Maldives.
Yams are a boon to the Maldives as they are among the few crops that can be grown on these islands. Fried yams are a staple traditional dish being soft and moist when you bite in whilst the outer crust is crunchy making them a tantalizing snack. Whilst some yams are sweet others are tasteless or slightly bitter. Cut into different shapes, these are deep fried and once done are served with dips or sauces and are thoroughly enjoyed by all visitors.
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