Maldivian cuisine, also called Dhivehi cuisine, is the cuisine of the Nation of

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

and of

Minicoy Minicoy, locally known as Maliku (), is an island in Lakshadweep, India. Along with Viringili, it is on ''Maliku atoll'', the southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is a census town in the Indian union territory ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The traditional cuisine of

Maldivians Maldivians (; ދިވެހިން, ''dhivehin'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group and nation native to the historic region of the Maldive Islands comprising what is now the Republic of Maldives and the island of Minicoy in Union Territory of Laks ...

is based on three main items and their derivatives: coconuts, fish and starches.

Coconuts

The

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

is used in the grated form, squeezed to obtain

coconut milk Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...

, or as

coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates duri ...

in dishes that are

deep-fried Deep frying (also referred to as deep fat frying) is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, traditionally lard but today most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow oil used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Norma ...

. 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 Mas huni ( dv, މަސްހުނި) is a typical Maldivian breakfast, comprises tuna, onion, coconut, and chili. All ingredients are finely chopped and mixed with the grated meat of the coconut. This dish is usually eaten with freshly baked roshi f ...

''.

Xavier Romero-Frias Xavier or Xabier may refer to: Place * Xavier, Spain People * Xavier (surname) * Xavier (given name) * Francis Xavier (1506–1552), Catholic saint ** St. Francis Xavier (disambiguation) * St. Xavier (disambiguation) * Xavier (footballer, ...

, ''The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom'', Barcelona 1999, 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.

Fish

The

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

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 The little tunny (''Euthynnus alletteratus''), also known as the false albacore, little tuna, bonita, bonito, or blue bonito, is a species of tuna in the family Scombridae. It can be found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Blac ...

(''latti''),

yellowfin tuna The yellowfin tuna (''Thunnus albacares'') is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Yellowfin is often marketed as ahi, from the Hawaiian language, Hawaiian , a name also used there for the closel ...

(''kanneli''),

frigate tuna The frigate tuna, frigate mackerel or alagaduwa (''Auxis thazard'') is a species of tuna, in the family Scombridae, found around the world in tropical oceans. The eastern Pacific population is now regarded as a separate species by some authoritie ...

(''raagondi''), bigeye scad (''mushimas''),

wahoo Wahoo (''Acanthocybium solandri'') is a scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. It is best known to sports fishermen, as its speed and high-quality flesh makes it a prized and valued game fish. In Hawaii, the wahoo is kn ...

(''kurumas''),

mahi-mahi The mahi-mahi () or common dolphinfish (''Coryphaena hippurus'') is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters worldwide. Also widely called dorado (not to be confused with ''Salminus brasil ...

(''fiyala'') and mackerel scad ''(rimmas)''. These can be eaten boiled or processed. Processed tuna (

Maldive fish Maldives fish ( dv, ވަޅޯމަސް, translit=valhoamas) is cured tuna fish traditionally produced in Maldives. It is a staple of the Maldivian cuisine, Sri Lankan cuisine, as well as the cuisine of the Southern Indian states and territories of L ...

) is used as pieces or as shavings. In order to make curries, the raw or the still-soft processed tuna is cut into sections. Dry processed tuna is mainly used to make short eats called

gulha Gulha ( Dhivehi: ގުޅަ IAST: ''guḷa'' IPA: ) is a typical and popular Maldivian short eat. ''Gulha'' are small ball-shaped dumplings that are stuffed with a mixture of tuna, finely chopped onion, grated coconut, and chili. Depending ...

, masroshi, kulhi bōkiba, kavaabu, bajiya (the local version of the Indian

samosa A samosa () or singara is a fried Indian pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. It may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. Samo ...

), and fathafolhi. Mixed with coconut, onions and chili it is an essential Maldivian breakfast item, known as

Mas huni Mas huni ( dv, މަސްހުނި) is a typical Maldivian breakfast, comprises tuna, onion, coconut, and chili. All ingredients are finely chopped and mixed with the grated meat of the coconut. This dish is usually eaten with freshly baked roshi f ...

. Unlike Pacific islanders,

do not have a tradition of eating raw fish. The tuna-based thick brown paste known as ''

rihaakuru Rihaakuru (ރިހާކުރު, pronounced ) is a fish-based thick sauce. The color varies from light brown to dark brown. It is a traditional dish of Maldivian cuisine, consumed almost daily in every household in Maldives and in Minicoy since ancient ...

'' is also an essential item in Maldivian cuisine.MIFCO; Rihaakuru

Starchy items

These are starches such as

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

, which is eaten boiled or ground into flour, or tubers such as

taro Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Africa ...

(''ala''),

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulus, bindweed or morning glory family (biology), family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a r ...

(''kattala''), and

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...

(''dandialuvi''), as well as fruits like

breadfruit Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of ''Artocarpus camansi'' originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippi ...

(''bambukeyo'') or

screwpine ''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with some 750 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. The greatest number of species are found in Madagascar and Malaysia. Common names ...

(''kashikeyo''). Tubers and breadfruit are eaten boiled. The screwpine fruit is mostly eaten raw after having been cut into thin slices.

Curries

The most important curry in the cuisine of the Maldives is cooked with diced fresh

tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...

and is known as ''

mas riha ''Mas riha'' ( dv, މަސް ރިހަ) is a fish curry of the Maldivian cuisine.Tom Masters. ''Maldives''. Lonely Planet, 2006. , Pg 84/ref> ''Mas riha'' is commonly eaten with steamed white rice, but when eaten for breakfast it is served with '' ...

''. ''Kukulhu riha'' ( chicken curry) is cooked with a different mixture of spices. Vegetable curries in the Maldives include those that use ''bashi (

eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mos ...

), tora (

Luffa aegyptiaca ''Luffa aegyptiaca'', the sponge gourd, Egyptian cucumber or Vietnamese luffa, is an annual species of vine cultivated for its fruit, native to South and Southeast Asia. Description The three-lobed leaves are wide. The fruit, approximately ...

), barabō (

pumpkin A pumpkin is a vernacular term for mature winter squash of species and varieties in the genus ''Cucurbita'' that has culinary and cultural significance but no agreed upon botanical or scientific meaning. The term ''pumpkin'' is sometimes use ...

), chichanda (

Trichosanthes cucumerina ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' is a tropical or subtropical vine. Its variety ''T. cucumerina'' var. ''anguina'' raised for its strikingly long fruit. In Asia, it is eaten immature as a vegetable much like the summer squash and in Africa, the r ...

)'' and ''muranga'' (''

Moringa oleifera ''Moringa oleifera'' is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree of the family Moringaceae, native to the Indian subcontinent. Common names include moringa, drumstick tree (from the long, slender, triangular seed-pods), horseradish tree (from th ...

''), as well as green unripe

bananas A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

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''.

Bibliography

, ''Eating on the Islands'',

Himal Southasian ''Himal Southasian'' (stylised as HIMĀL Southasian) is a news magazine, which covers politics and culture in South Asia. Having closed its publication from Kathmandu in November 2016, the magazine resumed publication in April 2018 from Colombo, S ...

, Vol. 26 no. 2, pages 69–91

References

External links

*
Eating on the Islands - As times have changed, so has the Maldives' unique cuisine and culture

DhumashiMas huni and Masriha - Himal: Farms, Feasts, Famines; Disappearing foodsMaldives Cuisine

Maldivian Recipes
{{cuisines South Asian cuisine