Boakibaa (Maldivian Fish Cake)

About This Recipe

Boakibaa is one of the most distinctively Maldivian foods in existence — a baked fish cake that combines smoked or fresh tuna with cooked rice, freshly grated coconut, onion, chilli, and curry leaf into a dense, aromatic slab. The mixture is pressed into a baking tin and baked until firm and golden, then cut into squares and served as a snack or light meal. The texture is firm and compact, somewhere between a frittata and a savoury cake, with the oceanic richness of tuna beautifully balanced by the sweetness of coconut. It is sold at Maldivian tea shops and hawker stalls throughout the day.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 400 gsmoked or canned tuna, flaked
• 200 gcooked white rice, cooled
• 100 gfreshly grated coconut (or desiccated, rehydrated)
• 1large onion, finely diced
• 3green chillies, finely chopped
• 10curry leaves, finely sliced
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspsalt
• 3eggs, beaten
• 2 tbspcoconut oil, for greasing

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix filling

   Combine tuna, rice, coconut, onion, chilli, curry leaves, cumin, turmeric, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until thoroughly combined.

2. 2

   Bind with egg

   Add beaten eggs and mix again until everything coheres into a firm, slightly sticky mixture.

3. 3

   Bake

   Grease a 20 x 20 cm baking tin with coconut oil. Press the mixture evenly into the tin, smoothing the top. Bake at 180°C for 35–40 minutes until firm, golden, and a skewer comes out clean.

4. 4

   Cool and cut

   Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations

• •

  Add finely grated ginger and garlic to the mix.

• •

  Stir in a tablespoon of rihaakuru for deeper umami.

• •

  Make individual patties and pan-fry instead of baking.

Storage

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature or reheat in the oven at 160°C.

Frequently Asked Questions