Maalhoskeylu hithi ( plaintain curry)

Plantains are easily available in Maldives. There are various dishes where plantains are used and one of them is this, known as hithi. Hithi  is a type of curry that is made using a spice called ajwain, some local chefs replace it with cumin but I prefer to use ajwain. 

I posted Banbukeyo Hithi  a year or two ago. The recipe is almost the same.  I decided to follow the recipe I found in Zareena's  Dhivehi kaana. If you can't find fresh coconut, try rehydrating desiccated coconut in a few tablespoons of hot water, then use it to make the paste.  

Plantains are not very easy to peel so it is peeled after boiling which makes it much easier. 

Yield: 4-6

Author: Nammi

Maalhoskeylu Hithi ( plantain curry )

Ingredients

• 2-3 plantain ( 2 if large)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated coconut ( read above on what to do when it is not available)
• 1/4- 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 small onion or shallot or half a medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 inch piece ginger, sliced
• 1/4 tsp ajwain seeds ( hithi dhamui, available at Dhivehi beys shops and some of the shops that sell whole spices in Male or replace with cumin if unavailable although the taste is very different).
• 500ml thin coconut milk ( see note below)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk ( see note below)
• 100g smoked tuna, thinly sliced
• 6 curry leaves
• 6-inch pandan leaf, cut into large pieces
• salt

Instructions

1. Slice the ends of the plantain and place in a pan of water, bring to a boil and cook till tender.  Cool and remove the skin.  Cut into small bite-size cubes. Place in a cooking pot.
2. Add the sliced smoked tuna, curry leaves and pandan leaf.
3. Grind the ginger, ajwain and onion to a paste and mix into the thick coconut milk, set aside.
4. Grind the coconut with turmeric with a few tablespoons of water to make a paste. Add to the mixture in the pot along with thin coconut milk and place on top of the stove over medium-low heat. Cook on a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Taste, add salt to taste and then stir in the thick coconut milk mixture and let it cook for another 5 minutes.  Adjust salt and then switch off. 
6. Serve with some fried dried red chillies and rice.

Notes:

To make thin milk, I used dried coconut milk powder rather than fresh, so if using that use 2 tbsp coconut milk powder to 500ml water

Thick coconut milk, used 2 tbsp coconut milk powder to 1/2 cup water

To make fried dried chillies, heat a little oil and add the dried chillies ( poke them a bit with the knife so they dont burst) and then add to the hot oil and fry till the chilli puffs up.

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