Maldivian cuisine , also called Dhivehi cuisine , is the cuisine of the Republic of Maldives . The traditional cuisine of Maldivians is based on three main items and their derivatives: coconuts, fish and starches.

Coconuts [ edit ]

The coconut is used in the grated form, squeezed to obtain coconut milk , or as coconut oil in dishes that are deep-fried . The hunigondi is the traditional Maldivian implement used to grate the coconut. It is a long low chair with a serrated steel blade at its end. Grated coconut is used in dishes such as mas huni . ^[1]

The grated coconut may be alternatively soaked in water and squeezed in order to obtain coconut milk ( kaashi kiru ). Coconut milk is an essential ingredient in many Maldivian curries and other dishes. ^[2]

Fish [ edit ]

The fish of choice is mostly skipjack tuna , either dried or fresh. Other similar fish species that are part of the average Maldivian diet are little tunny ( latti ), yellowfin tuna ( kanneli ), frigate tuna ( raagondi ), bigeye scad ( mushimas ), wahoo ( kurumas ), mahi-mahi ( fiyala ) and mackerel scad (rimmas) . These can be eaten boiled or processed.

Processed tuna ( Maldives fish ) is used as pieces or as shavings. In order to make curries, the raw or the still-soft processed tuna is cut into 1 ⁄ 2 -inch-thick (13 mm) sections. Dry processed tuna is mainly used to make short eats (hedhika) called gulha , masroshi , kulhi b?kiba , kavaabu, bajiya (the local version of the Indian samosa ), and fathafolhi. Mixed with coconut, onions and chili it is an essential Maldivian breakfast item, known as mas huni . Unlike Pacific islanders, Maldivians do not have a tradition of eating raw fish. ^[1]

The tuna-based thick brown paste known as rihaakuru is also an essential item in Maldivian cuisine. ^[3]

Starchy items [ edit ]

These are starches such as rice , which is eaten boiled or ground into flour, or tubers such as taro ( ala ), sweet potato ( kattala ), and cassava ( dandialuvi ), as well as fruits like breadfruit ( bambukeyo ) or screwpine ( kashikeyo ). Tubers and breadfruit are eaten boiled. The screwpine fruit is mostly eaten raw after having been cut into thin slices. ^[1]

Curries [ edit ]

The most important curry in the cuisine of the Maldives is cooked with diced fresh tuna and is known as mas riha . Kukulhu riha ( chicken curry ) is cooked with a different mixture of spices.

Vegetable curries in the Maldives include those that use bashi ( eggplant ), tora ( Luffa aegyptiaca ), barab? ( pumpkin ), chichanda ( Trichosanthes cucumerina ) and muranga faiy ( moringa leaves ), as well as green unripe bananas and certain leaves as their main ingredients. Pieces of Maldive fish are normally added to give the vegetable curry a certain flavor. Curries are usually eaten with steamed rice or with roshi . ^[1]

See also [ edit ]

• Garudhiya
• Maldives fish
• Rihaakuru

Bibliography [ edit ]

• Xavier Romero-Frias , Eating on the Islands , Himal Southasian , Vol. 26 no. 2, pages 69?91 ISSN   1012-9804

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

• Media related to Cuisine of the Maldives at Wikimedia Commons
• Eating on the Islands - As times have changed, so has the Maldives' unique cuisine and culture
• Dhumashi
• Mas huni and Masriha - Himal: Farms, Feasts, Famines; Disappearing foods
• Maldives Cuisine
• Maldivian Recipes