Kulhi Boakibaa (Umm, sort of...)

So, tonight's meal was a traditional Maldivian recipe. Or, well, it was supposed to be...

I prepared kulhi boakibaa, basically a large fishcake made with tuna, the islanders' favorite fish. The ingredients include many of my favorites: curry, ginger, coconut, lemon, garlic, chili peppers... But, the final preparation was seriously lacking. So, what's that? Blog failure #3? Not a bad record overall, but a big bummer nonetheless.

The cake is bound together with rice, like smaller crab or fish cakes use bread crumbs. I soaked the rice overnight - for 24 hours, in fact - so it ground up nicely and nearly cooked completely while baking. But, it stayed a bit gritty and the flavors didn't blend well.

Well, such is life! I'm hugely disappointed, though, because I'm not able to cook again before the end of the week - the next two nights are booked and I won't be near the kitchen! That means, I've only made one Maldivian recipe and it wasn't even the traditional one... Not a very successful "visit" to this week's country.

My sincere apologies to you all. Hopefully, next week will be better.

Chicken Casserole

I found this recipe on a site devoted to Maldivian cuisine that includes dishes that originated outside the islands but have been "...adapted to suit the Maldivian palate and are now favorites..." There are loads of interesting recipes on this site, both traditional and adopted, so I decided to make one of each.

Tonight's casserole is meant to be cooked for an hour or so, using par-cooked potatoes that will soak up the pan juices. We actually had some boiled, red-skinned potatoes leftover from our picnic last weekend, so I modified the recipe to cook faster.

Luckily, my changes didn't seem to affect the flavor at all. What a wonderful go-to chicken dinner! Extremely simple to prepare and ready in 30 minutes, you definitely should add this recipe to your favorites. If you don't have leftover potatoes, then just steam or boil them while you gather your ingredients and chop your veggies; they'll finish cooking in the oven.

Here's how I made it:

Olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, halved
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 can (about 15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
 tsp fennel seeds
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. In an oven-safe Dutch oven or casserole, heat a little oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions till golden. Then, add the garlic and mix. Next, sear the chicken so that you get nice coloring on each side. remove from the heat. Layer the bell peppers and tomatoes over the chicken. Season with the oregano, fennel, salt and pepper, then sprinkle the cheese on top. Cover the pot with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil, switch the oven to low broil, and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Technical Difficulties

Sorry I haven't cooked yet, folks! Seems like the sun comes out and the calendar explodes with activity. We had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, spending the first half partying with friends and the second half paddling on Cape Cod beaches, getting back late last night.

Unfortunately for this little venture, that means we have yet to hit the grocery store! But have no fear: I'll be getting back on track shortly and my first dish should hit the interwebs tomorrow night. Thanks, all!

Week #19: Maldives



Graphic: en.wikipedia.org

This week, we're headed to the Maldives, a country of 1,190 coral islands - of which about 200 are inhabited - spread across about 35,000 square miles of the Indian Ocean.

Maldivian cooking typically uses three primary ingredients: tuna, coconut and starches. But, I'll try to mix in a few other items as well.

So, get your taste buds ready... It's going to be a tropically yummy week!