Joanna James
Are you finally going on that tropical vacation to the Maldives? No doubt, you’ll snorkel, dive, and enjoy sunsets and luxurious amenities in the Archipelago. But, what about food? Would you like to try some authentic dishes from the seaside nation? Let’s dig in.
Dip your fried yams in various sauces and bite into the crunchy goodness. This sweet potato-like starch is popular at most restaurants in Maldives. Pair the yams with different drinks. Fried yams are packed with fibre and vitamins, making these a better choice than potato chips. Restaurants at resorts like Amaya Kuda Rah Maldives serve fried yams with different dips.
Maldivian fish curry is soft in texture and packed with flavour. The island nation uses different types of freshly caught fish for their fish curries. This might include little tunny, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, skipjack and bigeye scad. A coconut and starch base make up the fish dish along with various spices and herbs. You can enjoy a fish curry with rice or roshi (Maldivian flatbread).
Gulha is flour dough (wheat or rice) filled with tuna fish, chopped scallions, shredded coconut and some chilis for that extra kick. They resemble dumplings to a certain extent and taste heavenly. Bite into the crunchy exterior to taste the soft, spicy insides. Some love to add turmeric, thinly chopped curry leaves and dashes of lime juice to their Gulha.
A breakfast dish in the Maldives, Mas Huni is smoked and shredded tuna tossed with onions, chilli and shredded coconuts. An authentic island dish, this concoction is sometimes cooked with moringa pods, boiled pumpkin or butternut squash. The mix of vegetables and smoked tuna makes it a delicacy.
The best lobster dishes are the ones that chefs whip up right in front of you. Freshly cooked lobsters are soft, flaky and delicious. Chefs at most restaurants prepare lobsters right in front of guests with plenty of butter, herbs and pinches of essential spices.
Masroshi is stuffed dough (filled with tuna, ginger, garlic, coconuts, hot peppers onions and lime. The delectable blend comes inside lightly browned dough. Try Masroshi with some piping hot tea.
A mix of tuna, onions, chilis, eggs, flaky boiled potatoes and the right amount of salt and pepper make reef fish cutlets. They roll this mixture into bite-sized balls and fry those until golden brown in hot oil. Dip your fish cutlets in mint chutney and follow up with a slice of cucumber or papaya.
A vegetarian pudding, Saagu Bondibai is made with boiled saagu seeds. They add fresh and condensed milk to make a creamy pudding infused with rose water and cardamom. A one of a kind
Let’s wrap up with another sweet treat. Aluvi Boakibaa is a coconut and cassava cake. These little cakes melt in your mouth. The locals prepare this special dish during Ramadan. They knead shredded coconuts, cassava, sugar and lashings of jasmine flower water into a soft paste, and then bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Once the cake turns light brown, they allow it to cool and slice those into perfect rectangular pieces – ready to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.
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.
