Chicken Biryani

 Eid is always an excuse to make Biryani. This particular biryani recipe is a recipe I found in this beautiful book by Bree Hutchins called Hidden Kitchens of Sri Lanka. She follows several Sri Lankan families from different parts of the country and the book features lots of Sri Lankan favorites. This Biryani recipe looked so good I just had to try.

Coffee and Caramel Biscuit Pudding

 

One recipe that literally everyone seems to ask me is the recipe for Magnum pudding. I have to confess I am not a big fan of this particular pudding but knowing how much Marie biscuit puddings are loved by the masses, I looked up various recipes and found this recipe. 

Masburi riha ( Spicy fish curry)

 

I have been trying to figure out a famous local dish known as Masburi riha. The first time I heard it was from my husband who commented that one of the curries I made tasted like masburi riha. 

bis folhi ( egg and tuna pancakes)

The first time I had these little pancakes was when one of my father's cousin's wife was visiting us. When I found out it was just eggs mixed with a little tuna and a hint of cumin, I knew I have to try it. Well, it wasn't as easy I thought because the first attempt ended up with too much tuna and too much lime juice. 

Kaamaranga ( Balakh- e- shaam)

  Kaamaranga as its known here in Maldives has been around for sometime. These star shaped pieces of fried dough  soaked in sugar syrup appeared somewhere in the 80s , and I remember seeing them at the numerous kids parties I attended then. 

Shawarma

     I know a lot of you love shawarma, judging from a few shawarma stalls dotted around Male'.  I have tried a few recipes but most of them ended up with dried chicken. But it was only when I saw chef Reem's chicken shawarma on her Instagram, where she had a metal skewer stuck to large onion and that got me thinking.  Maybe I can try it like that.

Baalees ( Baked fish parcels)

This is something my mother makes quite often especially during the month of Ramadhan. My brother in law calls them Baalees because they look like pillows ( baalees means pillows). It's a dough filled with a tuna filling. The filling is made using sauteed onions mixed with canned tuna and scotch bonnet peppers and lime juice.

Chocolate Paan Boakibaa ( chocolate bread cake)

 Pann boakibaa is the Maldivian version of bread pudding although it is more like a cake than a pudding. I love the original paan boakibaa but while working for easy recipes I thought about what I can do to elevate this beloved dish. So I made a chocolate version of it. My eldest .who doesn't like paan boakibaa actually loved it, well he does like everything that's chocolate. So have a go and let me know what you think of it. 

Kuhlha fila fathu mas huni (coconut and greens sambal)

Fathu mas huni translates as greens with fish and coconut although in this recipe, the fish is replaced by rihaakuru, the Maldivian fish paste. It's a sambal or a type of salad of fresh greens, fresh coconut, onions, and chillies with lime juice and rihaakuru. Even though most mas huni ( fish sambals or salad) have smoked tuna this one has rihaakuru.

Tuna Curry Puffs

I love making these and it is a big favorite in my home especially during Ramadhan. I love the pastry which I have finally been able to make without making a mess. The pastry does take some time to make so make it during a weekend. I had made a sardine version of it and  chicken version of these before but knowing how  much we love our tuna and since its easier to use I made some tuna curry puffs. You can even make them and freeze and just drop them in hot oil for deep frying when you want to eat one. 

Cake folhi ( sweet pancakes)

 I dont know when these particular pancakes started to appear in the cafe's and snack shops around the country but it has been around for some time.