Garudhiya recipe: how to make Maldivian fish broth

Garudhiya (say it “ga-ROO-dee-ya”) is fish cooked in water until the water becomes a light, salty, golden broth. That is all it is, and that is the point. On local islands it has been everyday food for generations, because it needs only what an island always had: the morning catch, salt, firewood and a pot.

The fish is usually tuna. Skipjack is the most common choice, landed fresh by pole-and-line boats, but yellowfin and smaller tunas are used too, depending on what came in that day. Families often cook the head and bones along with the meat, which gives the broth more body.

It is a simple dish, but it sits at the centre of Maldivian food. Our Maldivian dishes to try guide shows where it fits alongside mas huni, curries and short eats.

This makes enough for about four people with rice. Quantities are a guide, not a rule; every household does it a little differently.

• About 1 kg fresh tuna, skipjack if you can get it, cut into large chunks (bones and head welcome)
• About 1.5 to 2 litres water, enough to cover the fish well
• 1 to 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 or 2 green or red chillies, slit lengthways
• A small handful of curry leaves
• Optional: a thin slice of fresh ginger or a couple of crushed garlic cloves

To serve:

• Plain boiled white rice
• Limes, cut in halves or wedges
• Small fresh chillies, chopped or whole
• A red onion, finely chopped
• Optional: a little rihaakuru (tuna paste), if you have it

1. Clean the fish. Rinse the tuna chunks, head and bones in cold water. Remove the gills from the head and any dark blood, as these can make the broth cloudy and bitter.

2. Start the pot. Put the water, salt, sliced onion, chillies and curry leaves into a large pan. Bring it to the boil.

3. Add the tuna. Lower in the fish gently so it stays in whole pieces. Let the water come back to the boil, then turn it down to a steady simmer.

4. Skim. Grey foam will rise in the first few minutes. Lift it off with a spoon. This is what keeps garudhiya clear rather than murky.

5. Simmer. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Avoid a hard, rolling boil, which breaks the fish up and clouds the broth.

6. Taste. Add more salt if needed. The broth should taste clean and savoury, a little like a light fish stock.

7. Serve hot. Ladle the broth and pieces of fish into a bowl, with rice, lime, chilli and onion on the side.

Tips for a better broth

• Freshness matters most. With so few ingredients, there is nowhere for tired fish to hide. On an island, cook it the day it is caught.
• Keep it clear. Skim well, simmer gently and don’t stir too much.
• Don’t overdo the extras. Garudhiya is meant to taste of tuna. Spices, if any, stay in the background.
• Save the leftovers. Any broth you don’t eat is the starting point for rihaakuru (see below).

The broth and the fish are eaten together, but not always as a soup. A common way is:

• Put a mound of rice on your plate.
• Spoon broth over it, or pour some into a small bowl beside it.
• Squeeze over lime, add chopped chilli and onion to taste, and break a piece of fish into the rice.
• Mix it all with your fingers (right hand) or a spoon, and eat.

Some people add a little rihaakuru for a deeper, saltier taste. Others eat garudhiya with roshi flatbread, or with a side of grated coconut and smoked fish. Lunch is the classic time for it, but you will see it at any meal.

During Ramadan, garudhiya often appears at the evening meal after the fast is broken. Our Ramadan in the Maldives guide explains what visitors should know about that month.

Rihaakuru is what happens when you keep cooking garudhiya. The broth is boiled slowly, for hours, until almost all the water has gone and what is left is a thick, dark brown, very salty paste. Traditionally it was a way to keep the goodness of the fish when there was no refrigeration.

A small spoonful is enough. It is stirred into rice, eaten with roshi, or used as a base for other dishes, sometimes thinned with coconut milk. Its taste is strong, savoury and smoky, and many visitors find it an acquired one. Try a little first.

Making rihaakuru at home is slow, needs constant care at the end so it doesn’t burn, and fills the house with a strong smell. Most visitors are happier tasting it on a local island than trying it themselves.

• With different fish. Other tunas, and sometimes reef fish, are used when skipjack isn’t available. The broth tastes slightly different each time.
• With spices. Some cooks add a little garlic, ginger or a pinch of turmeric. Others insist on salt and water only.
• Garudhiya with coconut. Grated coconut on the side, or coconut milk stirred in, softens the taste. This is a matter of family habit.
• With smoked fish. Valhoa mas, tuna that has been boiled, smoked and dried, is sometimes grated over the rice for a smokier plate.

You can make good garudhiya wherever you can buy fresh tuna. If skipjack isn’t available, use another firm fresh tuna, ideally with some bone. Frozen fish works less well but is better than nothing; thaw it fully first. Tinned tuna is not a good substitute here, though it works for mas huni.

If you can’t find curry leaves, leave them out rather than replace them. A squeeze of lime at the table matters more.

Garudhiya is home food first, so it is not on every tourist menu. You have the best chance on a local island:

• Local cafés and small restaurants often serve it at lunchtime, especially those that cook for island families as well as visitors.
• Your guesthouse kitchen may make it if you ask a day ahead. Breakfast is more likely to be mas huni, but many hosts are happy to cook garudhiya for lunch or dinner.
• During a fishing trip or beach barbecue, crews sometimes cook part of the catch this way.

On Dhiffushi, the morning catch comes in at the harbour, and you can find fresh fish near the minimarts and fish market. See our food in Dhiffushi guide and the places to eat for where to ask. To understand where the tuna comes from, read fishing in the Maldives.

Garudhiya is fish, salt and water, so it is naturally free of gluten, dairy and meat other than fish. It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans, and fish broth and rihaakuru can turn up hidden in other dishes. If you don’t eat fish, say so clearly when you order, and see our vegetarian and vegan food in the Maldives guide.

For afternoon snacks that use the same tuna, try hedhikaa, the Maldivian short eats.