Delectable Dishes to Try in the Maldives: An Island Culinary Adventure

This is a simple staple breakfast dish that is widely available in any of the Maldives restaurants. It is usually made with tuna as the main ingredient which is broken down and mixed with other ingredients like onion, coconut shavings, scotch bonnet and salt. It is eaten mainly with roshi and is popular because of its simplicity. There are several variations of the dish including Barabo Mashuni (pumpkin), Thoraa Mashuni (sponge gourd) and more. 

This is a type of clear curry that has chunks of tuna, garlic, ginger, black peppers and chilli. It may occasionally feature fried moringa leaves, and sardines as well. Garudhiya can be enjoyed as a soup or with a serving of rice for lunch. It can also be served with Maldivian roshi or chapati. Garudhiya is often prepared in many different ways and is available anywhere from local street eateries to resort-based restaurants like those available at Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort.

A local dish that has been a local favourite for years, Rihaakuru is a dark-coloured, thick, spicy paste, that is prepared by cooking fish in salt and water for an extended period of time. The end result is then derived by keeping the contents on the stove until the soup mixture has evaporated. The spice levels of the dish can be adjusted by either adding more chilli paste to increase the spice or by adding a touch of lemon to reduce the heat. 

This is a delectable fish curry and is served as a main dish in Maldivian cuisine alongside rice or roshi (roti). It is prepared by cooking fish with curry leaves, cardamom, ginger, garlic and several other spices. The flavours are carefully prepared by adding specific combinations of spices at specific times during preparations.

This amounts to a delicious bright yellow dhal curry that is popular among vegetarians. The dhal is typically prepared with coconut milk, with very little spice, and plenty of other herbs and spices. It is often enjoyed with rice or roshi and is considered to be a dish with many health benefits. 

This savoury snack is a fish cake that is prepared over a skillet with any combination of ingredients. Despite the varying recipes across the islands, Boakiba always carries its signature taste that has made it popular among the locals. There is also a sweet version of the dish called Foni Boakiba or condensed milk cake. 

Gulha is another popular snack made out of dough balls that contain a mixture of fish, chilli, onions, coconut shavings and other ingredients. The dough is fried in hot oil for a short time with some varieties being either hard or soft. Gulha is best enjoyed with Rihaakuru for an added burst of flavour.

Also known as Maldivian Egg Rolls, this is a light crunchy snack that has eggs, cabbage, onions and other spices. The mixture is folded into a square and fried lightly until it acquires a light brown colour and crispy texture. 

This is the Maldivian samosa that is prepared with various fillings. Some prefer to use tuna with coconut shaving, chilli, onions and other spices, while others prefer to use potato rather than fish. Bajiyaa is fried to get its signature crunchy texture, although the frying times are varied depending on the desired texture. 

This is a dish similar to Gulha but features an outer covering of breadcrumbs before being fried in oil. While its main ingredient is fish, a popular variation is the Bis Katlas or egg cutlet. This features a hard-boiled egg that is cut up and added to the tuna mixture before being fried