12 Must-try Maldivian sweets
12 Must-try Maldivian sweets
12 Must-try Maldivian sweets : A holiday to Maldives Islands guarantees life time memories which you will cherish for the rest of your life, the Maldives is a beautiful destination boasting numerous exciting adventures with most of them being exclusive to the islands. Note that maldives itself is an amazing place and can be compared to african islands such as Seychelles , Zanzibar and Mauritious.
Whether you are interested in diving in the clear warm waters to admire aquatic life, snorkeling among the Manta rays or participating in the various water sports. You will surely experience a state of unmatched euphoria.
Maldives Islands are deep rotted in culture offering visiting the opportunity to take part in the local music and dance events as well as age-old artisanal traditions.
One of the indulgences not to miss in the Maldives islands on your holiday is the Maldivian food, though there is no shortage of uniquely spectacular restaurants in the Maldives serving World Cuisines. Local specialists have a distinct flavor and for travelers with a fancy for desserts, there are more than enough Maldivian sweets to satisfy your cravings.
- BONDIBAI
Bondibai is a thick sticky rice pudding with coconut and condensed milk, this sweet dish typically includes a dash of cardamom, cinnamon and Pandan leaves for a distinct flavor. This sweet dish is traditionally enjoyed on all celebratory occasions.
To make boundibai, 2 cups of sugar are added to every 1 cup of rice. Also, the Maldivians often pair the boundibai with chili tuna for a sweet and spicy mouthful.
There are many versions of Bondibai depending on the ingredients and seasonings used, there are three options which are prominent among the Maldivian sweets and they are loved by the local population as well as travelers.
Banbukeyo Bondibai
Banbukeyo Bondibai is a regional term used for breadfruit which is a staple fruit in the Maldives. Instead of rice, breadfruit is used while making the Banbukeyo Bondibai.
Handulu Bondibai
This is a popular Eid dessert in the Maldives Islands, the Handulu Bondibia is made by cooking rice, adding rose or jasmine – infused water to enhance the flavor.
Saagu Bondibai
Saagu Bondibai also known as Sago Bondibai is a tapioca start extract dessert, after cooking the sago, it is poured into a pan with sugar, spices and coconut milk until the mixture is nice and thick. In case you want it creamier, add a little bit of condensed milk as well.
- ZILEYBI
Zileybi also known as Jilebi is a sweet fried snack made with all-purpose flour, this sweet is popular in the Maldives and other countries of the Indian Subcontinent.
To make this sweet, a mixture of butter with flour, baking powder, vanilla essence, cinnamon, pandan leaves and cardamoms are made. The next step is to pour the thick paste into hot oil using a piping cone.
Zileybi has a trademark spiral shape which distinguishes it from other Maldivian sweets.
Once it is ready, the crunchy spirals go into a thick sugary syrup. Zileybi is a very sweet and sticky finger-licking dessert.
- ADDU BON’DI
This sweet orginates from the Addu atoll in the Southern part of Maldives, Addu Bon’di is a local confection consisting of scrapped coconut, jaggery, coconu syrup and dried banana leaves.
Addu Bon’di is a popular appetizer on the archipelago resembling a brown cylindrical candy that you can cut into multiple pieces for easy serving, to make the sweets more romantic, jasmine and huvandhumaa extracts are added.
Addu Bon’di is wrapped in dried banana leaves in a large cigar – like shape. Therefore, you must first peel off the cover to reveal this Maldivian dessert.
- NAROH FALIDHA
The Naroh Falidha include ingredients like jasmine water, coconut honey, palm toddy (dhiyaa hakuru), and breadfruit.
The sweet is made in the shape of a donut and is sometimes known as the Maldivian Donut, Norah Falidha is not as popular as other Maldivian desserts and many locals do not even know about it. If you come across it being made on the island, give this rare sweet a try.
- DHONKEYO KAJURU
Dhinkeyo Kajuru resembles the sweet banana fritter, preparing this sweet begins by mashing ripe bananas with powdered sugar, then add a few drops of vanilla essence, grated coconut and baking powder.
Once ready, deep fry the dollops to a crunchy brown outside and a soft inside. Bite-sized snacks in the truest form, make sure you let them cool down a little before taking a bite.
- PIRINI
Pirini is much like Indian Sweet Kheer made with rice and condensed milk, the first step in making this Maldivian dessert consists of grinding rice till it turns into a coarse powder. Then, add it to a pan with water, sugar and pandan leaves.
When cooked, add condensed milk and Vanilla essence. Finally, remove it into a tray and sprinkle cinnamon and cardamon powder. Local usually consume this dish on Fridays and even substitute rice with semolina for a quick snack.
Like with most Maldivian sweets, you will find several regional varieties of the dish including Berabo Pirini.
Pirini taste best when eaten after being in the fridge overnight.
- SAAGU KANDHI
Saagu Kandhi is a liquid porridge – like pudding that primarily serves as a comfort food on rainy days and festive occasions like Eid.
The main ingredient for this dish is sago, added to and boiled along with rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, cardamon, pandan leaves, jasmine – infused water and sugar.
The Maldivians also make Kandhi with sweet potatoes. Fufoo Kandhi is another version of this dish where the main product is wax gourd along the rice. Kandhi can be served either hot or cold.
- BOAKURI FALHO
The texure of Boakuri Falho is hard to explain, however it is somewhat sticky and slimy. The primary product used to make this Maldivian dessert is papaya which is just on the verge of ripening.
Making Boakuri Falho is reasonably straightforward, first boil water and sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, add the papaya and cook it on low heat. Make sure you stir it once in a while so that it gets evenly cooked.
As the mixture boils down to a sticky consistency, remove it from the pan, put it in a bowl and have a bite.
- GULAB JAMUN
This dessert is among the most well-known delicacies in the Indian subcontinent and is consumed as soft fried balls, to prepare the Gulab Jamun you need to solidify milk and mix it with flour and sugar. In Indian, they use curdled fresh milk. However, since it is not available in the Maldives. The locals use milk powder.
After deep – frying the balls, the Gulab Jamuns go into sugary syrup with hints of rose water, saffron and cardamon for an hour.
This dessert is served either hot or cold and the perfect pairing is taking a hot Jamun and eating it with refreshing coconut or vanilla cream.
- SUJI
Suji also known as Soojie is an energy boasting sweet-drink and it is taken primarily as part of the pre-dawn meal during the Ramadan.
Suji is served in a glass or a small bowl, the desert consists of semolina, condensed milk, cardamom, cinnamon and rose water. Although condensed milk is sweet, many people prefer to add sugar to the mix.
The more interesting ingredients of Suji are lightly sauteed onions, raisins and Indian almonds.
- BOAKIBA
This Maldivian dessert is influenced by seafood, coconuts and starch ingredients. The Dhivehi Cuisine includes several short eats that are mostly consumed with a cup of evening tea.
Boakiba is a popular snack on the archipelago that looks like a fluffy cake and like other popular deserts it comes in different variations including savory options.
Foni Boakiba
Foni Boakiba also known as Githeya Boakiba in some regions is a form of ghee cake that includes ingredients like ground rice, sugar and coconut milk. Additionally, friend onions make the dish a little crispy while cardamom and cinnamon add a hit of spiciness.
Kulhi Boakiba
Kulhi Boakiba is a smoked tuna cake with desiccated coconut, thinly sliced onions, fresh lemon juice, ginger and curry leaves.
Dhandi Aluvi Boakiba
This dessert is made with ingredients like cassava and tender coconut flesh, Dhandi Aluvi Boakiba requires high cooking skill and precision. This cassava cake should be free of any strong smell and look white inside.
Gabulhi Boakiba
This desert is made with grated coconut flesh, siften plain flour, sugar and rose water. Gabulhi Boakiba is an easy to make one-pot recipe. After smoothly blending all the ingredients, the thick paste goes in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Paan Boakiba
This is a Ramadan specialty consisting of bread, condensed milk, vanilla essence, eggs and water. This Maldivian dessert has a cake – like texture, its sweetness depends on how much condensed milk you use.
- Bis Haluvaa
This desert is similar to sliced custard and is one of the easiest Maldivian desserts to cook at home, the only ingredients required to make it is condensed milk, ghee and eggs.
The dessert is deliciously sweet and creamy thus requiring great strength and accuracy as most of the preparation requires you to whisk the mixture and then let it set inside a double boiler.
As soon as the mixture is ready, place it in a baking pan or any kind of utensil. Then put it in the refrigerator for a minimum of four hours, now your dessert is ready.
You can find the sweet/Maldivian desserts around the islands.
