Mas Riha

We wanted to create a fish curry that resembles the traditional taste of the Maldivian curries. However, our version is rather mild. But do feel free to add in as much chilli as you want to.

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 500 grams fish
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 ½ cups water (for soaking the fish)
• 2 medium sized red onions
• 2 garlics
• 1 inch ginger
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 ½ inch cinnamon
• ½ cup thick coconut milk
• 1tbsp. oil
• 5 curry leaves
• 3 inch piece of raanbaa (pandan leaf)
• 1 tsp. tamarind
• 4 tsp. chilli powder (or to taste)
• 1 ½ tsp. fennel powder
• ½ githeyo mirus (scotch bonnet pepper)
• 2 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Instructions:

1. Cut fish into small cubes.
2. Add ¼ tsp. turmeric powder to 1 & ½ cups of water and let the fish soak as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Slice the onions thinly.
4. Crush the garlic and ginger.
5. Snip off the ends of the cardamom pods.
6. Place half of your garlic and ginger, 5 slices of onion, 1 cardamom pod, ½ inch piece of your cinnamon and 1tbsp of thick coconut milk in a bowl, mix everything together, cover and set aside.
7. Heat 4 tbsp. of thick coconut milk in a pot together with 1 tbsp. oil over medium heat.
8. Add the remaining sliced onions, cinnamon and cardamom, along with the curry leaves and raanbaa.
9. Fry until the onions start turning brown and then add the remaining crushed garlic and ginger.
10. When the garlic softens, remove a tablespoon of the mixture from the pot, place it in a small bowl, cover and set aside.
11. Now add the fish, tamarind, chilli powder, fennel powder, turmeric powder, githeyo mirus, thin coconut milk and salt.
12. Mix everything together and gently bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the fish is cooked through.
13. Mix in the remaining thick coconut milk.
14. Right before you switch off the stove, add the mixes you set aside in steps 6 and 10 and stir then well into the curry.