By Christine Salins.
Apparently, dinner parties replicating overseas travel experiences are a thing. In places that are in lockdown (in other words, pretty much half the country) they are sometimes even held online, with friends ‘sharing’ a meal and travel stories about places they have been to or places they’d like to go.
In The Sydney Morning Herald at the weekend, a Melbourne reader wrote that after their third holiday was cancelled due to Covid, her household had finally decided enough was enough. “With the help of a ‘random country generator’ website, we’ve identified and travelled (virtually) to far-flung places,” wrote Jill Carter, of Preston.
“Each fortnight we meet up with friends online and share a meal, a cocktail and bizarre travel stories we’ve researched from the country selected. So far we’ve been to the Dominican Republic and Greenland … next stop French Guiana!”
It’s a charming idea for anyone itching to dust off their passport, isn’t it? Many of us, I’m sure, have dreamt of visiting the Maldives, one of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Known for its crystal-clear waters, whiter-than-white beaches and luxurious resorts, this archipelago in the Indian Ocean is enough to give anyone a serious case of wanderlust.
One of the Maldives’ best-kept secrets is its wonderful cuisine. Thanks to waves of settlers from around the Indian Ocean who made the islands their home over thousands of years, the food is a fusion of flavours that will transport you to the sunny side of life with every bite.
The dish here is easy to make and captures the flavours of the Maldives with its perfect balance of coconut and spices. Traditionally eaten for breakfast, Mas Huni is often enjoyed with sweetened hot tea and Roshi, a traditional flatbread made with coconut. This versatile bread can be served with either savoury or sweet dishes.
If tea is not your beverage of choice, you can enjoy your meals with Kurumba Fani (coconut water and coconut meat), Kashikeyo Fani (pandan juice), Karaa Fani (watermelon juice) or Atha Fani (custard apple juice).
And when you’re looking for the right word to describe your traditional meal, it’s meeru, which means yummy in Dhivehi, the national language of the Maldives.
Mas Huni
1 cup freshly grated or frozen coconut
2 small cans tuna in water, drained and flaked
2 green chillies, stemmed and minced
1 small red onion, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with roshi (see below).
Roshi
3 cups plain flour
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot (just boiled) water
1 cup grated coconut
Mix all the ingredients then add warm water gradually, kneading until you have a dry, smooth dough. Break the finished dough into golf ball-sized pieces. Smooth the balls using your hands.
Dust each ball with flour, and using a rolling pin spread evenly into circles that are about 15 cm in diameter.
Heat a shallow frying pan, place roshi on the pan and flip using a flat ladle until both sides are cooked to your liking.
