Traditional Maldivian Cuisine

The Maldives archipelago is not only home to a plethora of magnificent tropical islands flanked by white sand beaches, swinging tropical palms, and surrounded by gin-clear waters teeming with marine life, but it also serves up some of the region's most delectable cuisine. Traditional Maldivian cuisine, also known as Dhivehi cuisine, offers a wide range of tastes and flavors, from crunchy nibbles and street foods to sophisticated and pleasantly spicy curries served with wood-fired chapati bread.

The Maldives' cuisine is a diverse mix of traditional cuisines with considerable influences from its neighbors, namely India and Sri Lanka. Maldivians used to rely on vital commodities like fish, coconuts, breadfruit, millet, and tubers, and with the impact of foreigners from historic trade and travel, Maldivian cuisine evolved into a distinct combination with its own unique flavors, signifying a unique culinary identity.

Traditional Maldivian cuisine nowadays is based on three major ingredients and derivatives: coconut, fish, and carbohydrates derived from grains and vegetables. The delectable cuisine has a particular tang made up of gentle spiciness, delicate sweetness, and an overall foreign flavor, and it's cooked utilizing ancient cooking techniques passed down through the years.