Maldivian cuisine facts for kids
Maldivian cuisine, also known as Dhivehi cuisine, is the traditional food from the island nation of the Maldives. It is also enjoyed in Minicoy, India. The main ingredients in Maldivian cooking are coconuts, fish, and different starchy foods. These ingredients are used in many tasty ways to create unique dishes.
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Coconuts: A Key Ingredient
Coconuts are super important in Maldivian cooking! People use them in many ways. You can find coconuts grated, squeezed for their milk, or even as oil for frying.
How Coconuts are Used
Maldivians often grate coconuts. They use a special tool called a hunigondi. This tool looks like a low chair with a sharp, toothed blade at one end. Grated coconut is a main part of dishes like mas huni.
Another way coconuts are used is to make coconut milk. This milk is called kaashi kiru. To make it, grated coconut is soaked in water and then squeezed. Coconut milk is a must-have ingredient in many Maldivian curries and other delicious meals.
Fish: The Ocean's Bounty
Fish is a huge part of the Maldivian diet. The most popular choice is skipjack tuna. People eat it fresh or dried.
Types of Fish Used
Besides skipjack tuna, other fish often eaten include little tunny (latti), yellowfin tuna (kanneli), and frigate tuna (raagondi). You might also find bigeye scad (mushimas), wahoo (kurumas), mahi-mahi (fiyala), and mackerel scad (rimmas). These fish can be boiled or prepared in other ways.
Processed Fish and Snacks
Processed tuna, known as Maldive fish, is used in pieces or shavings. For curries, fresh or soft processed tuna is cut into half-inch thick pieces.
Dried processed tuna is often used to make small snacks called gulha and masroshi. Other popular snacks include kulhi bōkiba, kavaabu, and bajiya (which is like the Indian samosa).
A very important Maldivian breakfast item is Mas huni. It is made by mixing processed tuna with coconut, onions, and chili. Unlike some other islanders, Maldivians do not usually eat raw fish.
Another key ingredient is rihaakuru. This is a thick, brown paste made from tuna. It adds a special flavor to many Maldivian dishes.
Starchy Foods: Filling and Tasty
Starchy foods are also a big part of Maldivian meals. These include rice, which can be boiled or ground into flour.
Common Starchy Ingredients
Many different tubers are eaten, such as taro (ala), sweet potato (kattala), and cassava (dandialuvi). Fruits like breadfruit (bambukeyo) and screwpine (kashikeyo) are also popular.
Tubers and breadfruit are usually eaten boiled. The screwpine fruit is often eaten raw. It is cut into thin slices before being enjoyed.
Curries: A Flavorful Dish
Curries are a staple in Maldivian cuisine. They are known for their rich flavors.
Popular Curries
The most important curry in the Maldives is mas riha. This curry is made with diced fresh tuna.
Another popular curry is kukulhu riha, which is a chicken curry. It uses a different mix of spices to give it a unique taste.
Vegetable Curries
Maldivian vegetable curries use many different vegetables. These include bashi (eggplant), tora (Luffa aegyptiaca), barabō (pumpkin), chichanda (Trichosanthes cucumerina), and muranga (Moringa oleifera). Green unripe bananas and certain leaves are also used.
Small pieces of Maldive fish are usually added to vegetable curries. This gives them a special flavor. Curries are typically eaten with steamed rice or with a type of flatbread called roshi.
See also
In Spanish: Gastronomía de las Maldivas para niños
