Tropical Tastes: Stuck at Home This Holiday Season? Dalia Dogmoch Soubra Shares Three Classic Maldivian Recipes

This month, Dalia Dogmoch Soubra collaborated with Gaushan De Silva, the culinary director at Velaa Private Island, one of the most exclusive resorts in the Maldives and famous for its exquisite resturants, to create three tasty tropical dishes

Classic Maldivian Tuna Mashuni

Serves: 5

• 250g tuna in oil
• 50g onion, finely chopped
• 2 githeyo mirus (Maldivian chillis or use red small chilli), finely chopped
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 75g coconut, freshly grated

1. Drain the oil from the tuna and set aside
2. In a pestle and mortar, squash the onions and githeyo mirus chilli with the lime juice, and season with salt and pepper
3. Add the tuna, the grated coconut and the chilli mix to a bowl and mix it well
4. Finally, garnish with fresh grated coconut and serve with rossi (chapatti)

Aubergine Salad

Serves: 5

• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 500g aubergine
• Oil for frying
• 50g onion slices
• 50g tomato, julienne cut
• 10g green chillis
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

1. Fill a large container with cold water, add half the turmeric and salt
2. Slice off the top of the aubergine. Cut it in half lengthwise. Thinly slice each aubergine in half and put it in water
3. Wash and slice the aubergine, discarding the core
4. Deep fry on medium heat in a little oil, until light brown. Allow to cool
5. In a bowl, add onion slices, tomato julienne, green chilli, chilli flakes, turmeric powder, lime juice, salt and pepper
6. Toss in the fried aubergine
7. Finally, garnish with fried curry leaves, fresh green chilli and fresh tomato julienne

Prawn and Drumstick Leaf Curry

Serves: 5

• 250g small prawns
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• Coconut oil for cooking
• 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
• 20g onion, chopped
• 5 green chillis
• 10g curry leaves
• 1 cup water
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup drumstick leaves

1. In a bowl, add prawns, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, curry powder and salt. Mix well and marinate for some time
2. In a pan, add a little coconut oil and add the gingergarlic paste, onion, green chilli and curry leaves and cook for a few minutes
3. Add the water and marinated prawns to the pan. Salt well and cook for 5 -10 minutes
4. When they are slightly done, add in the coconut milk and drumstick leaves and mix well
5. Mix and cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes
6. Finally, garnish with drumstick leaves and serve with white rice.

Follow Dalia’s Kitchen Stories on YouTube, or visit Daliaskitchen.com

Photography: Sebastian Dolegard

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia December 2021 issue