ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Maldives
Five dishes to try in the Maldives, the most typical first.
Five dishes to try in the Maldives
Garudhiya ގަރުދިޔަ
Clear tuna broth eaten with rice, lime, chilli and onion.
How to have it: The core of Maldivian home cooking; try it at local guesthouses on inhabited islands.
Mas huni މަސްހުނި
Shredded smoked tuna mixed with grated coconut, onion, lime and chilli.
How to have it: The standard breakfast, scooped up with warm roshi flatbread and sweet tea.
Gulha ގުលަ
Fried dough balls stuffed with smoked tuna, coconut and chilli.
How to have it: A 'hedhikaa' short eat; cafés in Malé lay out trays of them with tea in the afternoon.
Mas riha މަސްރިހަ
Tuna curry cooked with coconut milk and curry leaves.
How to have it: Eaten with rice or roshi; local island cafés serve it more authentically than resorts.
Rihaakuru ރިހާކުރު
Thick, salty tuna paste made by boiling down fish broth.
How to have it: Spread thinly on rice or roshi with chilli and lime; jars make a common souvenir.
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Questions
What food is the Maldives famous for?
Garudhiya (clear tuna broth eaten with rice, lime, chilli and onion) comes first on our list, followed by Mas huni, Gulha, Mas riha and Rihaakuru.
What is the national dish of the Maldives?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for the Maldives is Garudhiya: clear tuna broth eaten with rice, lime, chilli and onion. The core of Maldivian home cooking; try it at local guesthouses on inhabited islands.
Which dishes in the Maldives are vegetarian?
None of the five dishes on this page is vegetarian as usually made. Ask locally: many places have meat-free versions.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.