The Maldives is a cluster of tropical islands in the Indian Ocean. Unspoiled beaches, technicolour coral reefs and refreshing sea breezes, together with overwater villas and sumptuous local cuisine served at restaurants in Maldives is what a vacation in this art of the world is all about. Fishing is the primary industry due the abundance of marine life in the surrounding seas. As a result fish is consumed in large quantities, as is coconut that grows freely on the beaches. At PER AQUUM Niyama Maldives each meal is a dining experience: try poolside dining, fine dining half a kilometre out in the ocean, dining in a surreal tree top setting, under water dining, tribal style dining, dining on the beach or dining in your private villa!
Maldivian food makes the most of the local produce. There is also a heavy subcontinental influence in the cuisine, mainly stemming from Kerala in South India and Sri Lanka. The most commonly used fish are skipjack tuna, little tunny, yellowfin tuna, frigate tuna, bigeye scad, wahoo and mahi-mahi. Coconut appears in grated form or as milk. Coconut oil, which is believed to have nutritional value, is used for deep frying. Rice, though not grown in the Maldives, is consumed as the main component of a meal. The preparations are generously flavoured with peppers, chillies, onion and curry leaves. Therefore, a stinging tongue is to be expected while eating!
One of the local favourites you can sample is ‘Garudiya’, a fish broth containing chillies, onion and lime. It is served with rice. ‘Mas huni’ is smoked fish, which is then shredded and combined with grated coconut and onions to form a salsa type dish that is eaten for breakfast. ‘Fihunu mas’ is fish that is marinated using chili and then barbecued. ‘Banbukeylu harisa’ is a vegetarian curry of breadfruit flavoured with chilli, onion and coconut.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
