Fuh Jehi Kavaabu

These batter fried tuna and potato balls are a Ramadan favourite here in the Maldives. The key to making a good ‘fuh jehi kavaabu’ is mixing the filling really well so that the flavours are well combined. You’ll have to use your fingers for the mixing so that the mixture can get properly squashed and squeezed.

Makes: around 25

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• ½ scotch bonnet pepper
• 7 curry leaves
• 1 lime
• ½ tsp. grated ginger
• 1 tuna can (180 g)
• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes (approximately 275 g)
• 2/3 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt (for the batter)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups oil

Instructions:

1. Slice the onion, scotch bonnet pepper and curry leaves thinly.
2. Add the sliced onion and scotch bonnet pepper to a mixing bowl. Squeeze in the lime and using your fingers squash and squeeze the mixture until the onion releases its juice and becomes soft.
3. Add the ginger and curry leaves and mix again with your fingers.
4. Add the tuna can and mix again.
5. Then add the mashed potatoes and mix again.
6. Then add the salt gradually, making sure the seasoning is to your liking, and then mix with your fingers until the filling feels a bit smooth.
7. Make balls from the filling mixture by rolling portions of the filling between your palms and place them on a clean plate.
8. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt, baking powder and turmeric powder. Mix with a spoon to combine. Then add the water and keep mixing until you get a smooth batter.
9. Heat the oil in a large pot. Drop a little bit of batter into the oil to check the temperature. When it floats and you see bubbles forming around it, that’s your cue to start frying.
10. Do the frying in batches. Gently place the first batch of filling balls in the batter and roll them around to get them coated evenly.
11. Then remove the balls one by one from the batter and place in the hot oil.
12. Fry them until the batter puffs up and starts turning slightly golden. You’ll have to flip them halfway to cook both sides evenly. When done, remove from oil, keep them in a strainer for a few minutes and them lay them over some kitchen towels to get rid of the excess oil.
13. Keep coating the balls in batter and frying them until you run out.