Delights of the Maldives: A Few Local Must-Trys

A classic curry that encapsulates the flavour of the Maldives!  Made with fresh tuna or swordfish, marinated in fragrant spices and chillie and cooked in a creamy coconut gravy infused with garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Enjoy Mas Riha with steamed or coconut rice and a decadent Copy Fathu (Maldivian collard greens and grated coconut), on the side. 

Perhaps the most loved dish in the Maldives Garudhiya is a clear fish broth made with tuna, coconut, and spices. This dish is also enjoyed in a more creamy variation as a soup by adding coconut milk to the recipe and accompanied by rice and a dollop of Rihaakuru a spicy Maldivian fish paste. It is also made as a red broth by adding Rihaakuru to the clear broth for added heat and flavour! 

A unique delicacy you won’t find anywhere else, Boshi Mashuni is an absolute must-try food while in the Maldives. The key ingredient of this delicious salad is the blanched and shredded banana flower. Banana flower is considered an anti-oxidant-rich nutritious food with many health benefits. In the Maldives, it's eaten in a salad mixed with grated young coconut, curry leaves, lime, and chilies. Enjoy Boshi Mashuni with a side of Roshi a local roti or flatbread. This crunchy decadent salad is often served in beautiful ruby-red banana flower bracts.

This popular Maldivian snack cannot be missed and one must try it with a hot cup of tea on the side! Kulhi Boakibaa is a flavoursome baked fish cake made from smoked tuna, rice, onions, garlic, ginger, chilies and coconut. Widely available in most local Restaurants in Maldives strewn around Male island a 20-minute speedboat ride from the Hard Rock Maldives. 

An ornate tray of local delights originating from old Maaloodhu ceremonies which were part of important events of the local's lives. The trays were delivered to drumbeats, by dancers in a procession to the guests. The Keyn consists of a variety rice and curries, stews and salads, even grilled meat, coconut cream and puddings! Its a mini feast of celebration, all on a single tray!

These delightful little fried folds are filled with a mix of cabbage, tuna, eggs, and spices, and are definitely a must-try! Bis Keemiya is a popular street food with beautiful aromas, the right balance of flavours and textures, and quick and easy to consume! 

The coconut-infused Mas Roshi is a mini flat roti with a tasty stuffing of smoked tuna, onions, coconut, and chopped scotch bonnets. The dumpling version of the same treat is Gulha, which are deep-fried balls of flavoursome goodness! Try these with a cuppa as an evening tea-time snack! Beware - Once you start, you cannot stop!

Traditionally smoked Tuna, Valhomas is deliciously cooked in many ways! You may find it in a spicy red smoked tuna curry, wrapped in soft pancakes with its spicy smoked tuna filling named Riha Folhi, or as an added ingredient in a fresh onion and coconut salad salad flavoured with the spicy tanginess of fragrant scotch bonnets! 

A great Maldivian delicacy from ancient times, Rihaakuru is a spicy and thick reduction of a fish based sauce. It is a staple food of the Maldives and has the consistency of a paste widely used in every Maldivian home. This traditional Maldivian dish is the result of hours of cooking tuna in water and salt, while carefully removing the scum that keeps forming. Rihaakuru is eaten as a condiment with rice, roti, or breadfruit or can be mixed into salads or cooked in fish and seafood curries for its unique flavour. 

Saagu Bondibai is the ultimate Maldivian dessert. This fragrant pudding is made by boiling sago pearls (made of the starch derived from the pith of the local Cycad Palms) in sweetened coconut milk, and flavoured with cinnamon, pandan leaves, cardamom and rosewater! Its an absolute must-try and such a comfort food!