National Dish Maldives: Garudhiya (Recipe)
In this article
Garudhiya is fish broth, and it is almost nothing: tuna simmered in water with salt. What makes it a meal is what goes alongside, rice, lime, chilli and onion, which each person adds to their own bowl. Maldivians eat it several times a week.
About Garudhiya
The Maldives has no farmland worth the name and a great deal of ocean. Tuna is the national food and garudhiya is its simplest expression: fresh fish boiled in salted water, the broth strained and served with rice.
The broth reduced right down becomes rihaakuru, a thick brown paste that keeps for months and is the other Maldivian staple.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 300 g freshly caught fish (tuna or snapper, for example)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 piece of ginger (about 2 cm), grated
- 1 small onion, sliced into rings
- 1–2 limes, cut into wedges
- Salt to taste
- Optional: pepper and further spices such as cumin
Shopping for the ingredients
Skipjack tuna is the Maldivian fish and the fresher the better; this dish has nowhere to hide. Curry leaves and a piece of pandan are traditional additions. Small hot chillies, sliced, go on the table.
Preparing the dish
Cut the fish into large chunks. Skim the broth as it comes to the boil, which is the only technique involved. Slice the onion very thinly and set out lime wedges and chilli separately, since the assembly happens at the table.
Step-by-step instructions
- Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan.
- Add the fish, garlic and ginger, and let everything simmer for about 10–15 minutes.
- Skim the surface as it comes to the boil.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper and any other spices you like.
- Lift the fish out of the pan and arrange it on a plate.
- Serve the broth in a bowl so it can be enjoyed as you please.
- Garnish with onion rings and lime wedges.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Garudhiya is fish, water and salt. It contains no gluten and no dairy and needs no adaptation whatsoever.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
The dish is fish broth and does not translate. Maldivian cooking is overwhelmingly fish-based, though mas huni made with coconut and onion alone, without the tuna, is an approximation of the breakfast dish.
More tips and tricks
Use the freshest fish you can get and do not overcook it. Ten minutes is enough. Skim the broth so it stays clear. And serve the accompaniments separately, because the whole point is that each person seasons their own bowl.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Curry leaves, pandan and a whole chilli in the pot are traditional. Some cooks add a little dried chilli. Reduced further and thickened, the broth becomes rihaakuru.
Ingredient substitutions
Any firm fish works, though tuna is the point. Lemon replaces lime. Small green chillies are the Maldivian standard.
Drink pairing ideas
Black tea, drunk constantly in the Maldives. Fresh coconut water. The country is dry outside resorts, so alcohol does not arise.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve rice in a bowl, ladle the broth over it, and put the fish, lime, chilli and onion on the table for people to add. It is eaten by hand, mixing the rice and broth with the fingers.
A bit of history
The Maldives lived on fish and coconut for most of its history, with rice imported. Dried and salted tuna, Maldive fish, was a major export to Sri Lanka and India for centuries and is still used across the region. Garudhiya anchors Maldivian cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Garudhiya
Garudhiya is tuna simmered in salted water and served with rice, lime, chilli and onion added at the table. Use the freshest fish, skim the broth, and let people season their own bowls.
