A Guide to Maldivian Cooking Techniques

The Maldives is not just paradise for beach lovers—it’s a treasure trove for culinary enthusiasts. Maldivian cuisine, shaped by its island geography, tropical ingredients, and South Asian influences, is flavorful, fresh, and centered around seafood and coconut. What makes it especially fascinating is not just what they eat—but how they cook it.

This guide delves into the core Maldivian cooking techniques that give their dishes their distinct character and taste—making it a must-know for culinary travelers.

1. Coconut: The Backbone of Maldivian Cuisine

Almost every Maldivian dish incorporates coconut in one of three forms:

• Grated Coconut (Kaashi): Used in sambols, curries, and salads
• Coconut Milk (Kaashi Kiru): Extracted by soaking grated coconut in warm water and squeezing
• Coconut Oil: Used for frying and sautéing

Technique Tip: Coconut is often freshly scraped using a traditional stool scraper called a hunigondi, a tool commonly found in every Maldivian kitchen.

2. Tuna Preparation: The Island’s Protein of Choice

Skipjack tuna (katsuo) is the Maldives’ staple fish and is prepared in several traditional ways:

• Boiling and Drying (Mas Huni): Tuna is boiled, shredded, and dried to make Maldives fish, used like anchovy powder to add umami.
• Grilling (Fihunu Mas): Fish is marinated in chili, lime, and curry leaves, then grilled over charcoal or an open flame.
• Smoking (Valho Mas): A preservation method that adds depth to dishes like curries or broths.

Technique Tip: Tuna is almost always cooked with minimal spice but maximum flavor, letting the freshness shine.

3. Hand-Mixing and Raw Assemblies

Many Maldivian dishes—especially salads and sambols—are prepared by hand-mixing, which is considered essential to achieving the right consistency and blend of flavors.

• Mas Huni: A classic breakfast dish made with shredded tuna, coconut, onion, and chili—always mixed by hand for texture.
• Rihaakuru Bondibaiy: Rice and thick fish paste, stirred slowly and manually to incorporate flavor.

Technique Tip: A bare hand (clean and wetted) is preferred over utensils for mixing to preserve the delicate balance of ingredients.

4. Traditional Clay Pot Cooking

Maldivians traditionally use clay pots (handi or pota) for cooking curries and stews. These pots retain heat and allow food to simmer gently, enhancing the depth of flavor.

Dishes Cooked This Way:

• Tuna curry (Mas Riha)
• Pumpkin curry (Baraboa Riha)
• Rihaakuru (fermented tuna paste stew)

Technique Tip: Clay pot cooking is ideal for slow simmering and often done on wood stoves or firewood setups in rural kitchens.

5. Steaming & Wrapping

Food is frequently wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or baked—a method that imparts a smoky-sweet aroma.

• Hedhikaa (Snacks): Many short eats like kulhi boakibaa (spicy fish cakes) are steamed.
• Roshi parcels: Flatbreads filled with sweet or savory fillings, then steamed or pan-seared.

Technique Tip: Steaming is done in large metal steamers or in simple setups using cloth-covered pots at home.

6. Spice Blending: Simple Yet Punchy

Maldivian cuisine doesn't rely on elaborate spice mixes like Indian food. Instead, it uses minimal but bold flavors:

• Chili (Githeyo Mirus): Used fresh, dried, or ground
• Curry Leaves (Veyn): Essential for aroma
• Cumin, Turmeric, and Coriander: Lightly toasted before use
• Lime Juice & Maldivian Curry Powder: Added at the end for brightness

Technique Tip: Whole spices are toasted and then ground using a motarufu (mortar and pestle) for traditional flavor.

7. Flatbread Techniques: Roshi and Huni Roshi

Roshi is the local flatbread, similar to a chapati, but softer and thinner. Huni Roshi includes coconut in the dough, giving it a tender texture and sweet note.

• Dough is kneaded by hand
• Rolled thin and cooked on a flat griddle (thawa)
• Served with curries or sambol

Technique Tip: Unlike Indian rotis, Maldivian roshi isn’t puffed and remains soft to be easily rolled or dipped.

8. Sweet Techniques: Steaming and Layering

Maldivian sweets are simple, often based on coconut, sugar, rice, and banana.

• Boakibaa (Baked Cake): Made with ground rice, coconut, and palm sugar, sometimes steamed or baked
• Banbukeyo Bondibaiy: Steamed breadfruit with sweet coconut rice
• Foni Boakibaa: A no-bake dessert made from sago pearls, coconut milk, and sugar

Technique Tip: Instead of ovens, most traditional sweets are steamed or set at room temperature.

Exploring the culinary techniques of the Maldives is like unlocking the soul of the islands—where each method, ingredient, and tool tells a story of tradition, simplicity, and deep respect for nature. From hand-mixing mas huni at sunrise to steaming sweet boakibaa wrapped in banana leaves, these practices offer more than just food—they offer connection.

If you’re a culinary traveler seeking immersive food experiences, Hi DMC is your perfect partner. We curate hands-on cooking classes, local island stays, market tours, and resort culinary sessions that bring Maldivian flavors to life. Let us help you taste, cook, and live the Maldivian way—one authentic bite at a time.

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