Many of the Maldivian flavours come from Kerala or Sri Lanka and historically the cuisine here has been influenced heavily by Arabic and Indian flavours. All the food is based on fish, rice and coconuts whether it is used as individual components or together, Maldivian food is something you will love for sure. Here are some of the popular Maldivian favourites you need to try.
Mashuni
This is the most popular breakfast dish in the Maldives. It is made using smoked tuna, coconut pulp, onion puree capsicum and lemon juice and is eaten with roshi bread. It is an all-time favourite among locals and is served almost in every café on the island.
Maldivian Curry
The concept and flavours for Maldivian curry came from Sri Lanka and mainly Thailand but the locals here have made it their own with their flavours and twists. Mostly coconut milk is used as a base for all curries and the main ingredient can come from the sea or land. When you’re on holiday in amazing resorts and hotels such as the likes of Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, you will have many traditional Maldivian curries for on-site resort dining.
Fish Dishes
Simple dishes like Theluli Mas are very common in the Maldives. It is a grilled tuna dish that is made by ribbing a spice mixture on cubes of tuna and then grilled or fried in coconut oil until crispy and golden brown. This simple marinated and grilled fish is so popular that there are variations of it all over the islands. It is served over rice, roshi or grilled vegetables.
Desserts
Uniquely, there are desserts here that is made from breadfruit! The famous Banbukeyo Bondibai is made by stewing breadfruit, coconut milk and sugar together until thickened like pudding. Another famous dessert is Dhonkeyo Kajuru; this is a fried banana pie that is made using very ripe bananas, coconut pulp, sugar and flour. The pies are fried in coconut oil until golden brown.
