Mas huni ( dv, މަސްހުނި) is a typical
Maldivian breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal of the day usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night.Anderson, Heather Arndt (2013)''Breakfast: A History'' AltaMira Press. Various "typical" or "t ...
, comprises
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: ...
,
onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...
,
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 ...
, 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 flatbread (similar to Indian
chapati
Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi; pronounced as IAST: ), also known as ''roti'', ''rotli'', ''safati'', ''shabaati'', ''phulka'', (in East Africa) ''chapo'', (in Marathi) ''poli'', and (in the Maldives) ...
) and sweetened hot
tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...
.
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, born ...
, ''The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom'', Barcelona 1999,
Preparation
The fish used in ''mas huni'' was as a rule cured tuna ''valhoamas'' but currently many Maldivians use
canned 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: ...
.
Traditionally when fish was scarce, chopped leaves were added to the mas huni mixture. The green leaves of certain local plants and trees such as ''diguthiyara'' ''(
Senna occidentalis
''Senna occidentalis'' ndian vernacular name ''Usaya ki Fali''is a pantropical plant species, native to the Americas. The species was formerly placed in the genus '' Cassia''.
Vernacular names in English include septicweed, coffee senna, coffee ...
)'', ''kuḷhafilaa'' or ''gōramfau'' ''(
Launaea sarmentosa)'', ''mābulhā'' ''(
Abutilon theophrasti
''Abutilon theophrasti'' (velvetleaf, velvet plant, velvetweed, Chinese jute, China jute, crown weed, buttonweed, lantern mallow, butterprint, pie-marker, or Indian mallow) is an annual plant in the family Malvaceae, native to southern Asia.
It' ...
)'', ''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 ...
)'', ''massāgu'' (''
Amaranthus spinosus
''Amaranthus spinosus'', commonly known as the spiny amaranth, spiny pigweed, prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth, is a plant that is native to the tropical Americas, but is present on most continents as an introduced species and sometimes a nox ...
'' or ''
Amaranthus viridis
''Amaranthus viridis'' is a cosmopolitan species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae and is commonly known as slender amaranth or green amaranth.
Description
''Amaranthus viridis'' is an annual herb with an upright, light green stem that grows ...
'') sweet potato ''(
Ipomoea batatas
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 ...
)'' and ''ḷos'' ''(
Pisonia grandis
''Pisonia grandis'', the grand devil's-claws, is a species of flowering tree in the ''Bougainvillea'' family, Nyctaginaceae.
Description
The tree has broad, thin leaves, smooth bark and bears clusters of green sweet-smelling flowers that matu ...
)'', among others, replaced the fish in mas huni in a smaller or greater proportion.
Currently common ''mas huni'' dish is made with ''kopee'' ''(
Collard Greens
Collard is a group of certain loose-leafed cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', the same species as many common vegetables including cabbage ( Capitata group) and broccoli ( Italica group). Collard is a member of the Viridis group of ''Brassica ...
)'' leaves.
Other variant of ''mas huni'' is made with muranga pods (''Moringa oleifera'') instead of thick, lucious leaves. First the pods are boiled, then the flesh with the seeds is scooped out. This is mixed along with the rest of the ingredients. This same type of thicker ''mas huni'' can be also made with boiled
butternut squash
Butternut squash ('' Cucurbita moschata''), known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin an ...
or
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 ...
.
[Himāl Southasian - ''Eating on the Islands'']
See also
*
Maldivian cuisine
Maldivian cuisine, also called Dhivehi cuisine, is the cuisine of the Nation of Maldives and of Minicoy, India. The traditional cuisine of Maldivians is based on three main items and their derivatives: coconuts, fish and starches.
Coconuts
T ...
*
List of tuna dishes
This is a list of notable tuna dishes, consisting of foods and dishes prepared using tuna as a primary ingredient. Tuna is a versatile ingredient that is used in a variety of dishes, including entrees, sandwiches, sushi, salads, appetizers, soups ...
References
Bibliography
*
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, born ...
, ''Eating on the Islands'', Himāl Southasian, Vol. 26 no. 2, pages 69–91
External links
Eating on the Islands - As times have changed, so has the Maldives' unique cuisine and cultureMas huni and Masriha - Himal: Farms, Feasts, Famines; Disappearing foods
Maldivian cuisine
Tuna dishes
Foods containing coconut
{{Breakfast-stub