Not surprisingly, for a country surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is a paradise for beach bliss as well as seafood delights. Here are some local dishes (rest assured, there are many more!) that feature seafood and are well worth introducing to your taste buds.

Mas Riha
While there are many curries you can look to try at a Maldives seafood restaurant, mas riha is a perennial fave. It is a rich fish curry usually made with tuna or swordfish, simmered in creamy coconut milk with spices like turmeric, cinnamon, garlic and curry leaves. The fish and tasty gravy are best enjoyed with rice, which lets you soak up all that yummy flavour.

Grilled Seafood
If you are more of a ‘grill it, till it’s perfect’ kind of foodie, you are in luck. From tender lobster to juicy prawns and melt-in-your-mouth fish, private island properties know how to do grilled seafood right. Some restaurants like Charcoal at Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort even use imported charcoal to get that perfect smoky finish and also feature grilled meats and creative veggie dishes, so no one misses out!

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Garudhiya
Garudhiya may be simple, but it’s anything but plain. This nourishing, traditional tuna soup is slow-simmered and seasoned with onions and chilli, as well as fragrant pandan leaves and curry leaves. Once done, it is usually served with deep-fried or fresh chilli peppers (yes, the locals are spice lovers!), sliced onions, and tangy lemon wedges alongside rice or roshi (a local flatbread).

Kulhimas
Another traditional dish, Kulhimas, is usually made with tuna, which is mixed with a paste that features ingredients like ginger, hot peppers, grated coconut, red chilli powder, garlic, curry leaves, cardamom and onions; it is then cooked ‘low and slow’ to lock in the spice. Sometimes, coconut milk is added as well to mellow things out with the end result being spicy, satisfying and seriously addictive!