By While on a trip to Laamu Atoll, I tried one of their signature dishes, ‘Golha Riha’. Although I am not a big fan of reef fish, I have heard through my Laamu friends that ‘Golha Riha’ is truly amazing, which is made me want to try it even as a one-time thing. It was a drool-worthy experience and will leave you wanting to eat it more. The explosion of the spices mixed with the reef fish is mind-blowing.
Let me guide you through how this exotic dish is made. First, ‘Golha Riha’ in Laamu dialect means ‘Gulha’ or balls, which are made out of reef fish. It is said that the Golha Riha is a delicacy in Laamu Atoll, and only the women of the atoll knows how to make this curry. The process of making the balls is quite intensive, which involves deboning and grounding the reef fish with Maldivian spices to make balls out of them. Freshly caught reef fish are the best. It is not uncommon for several members of the family to get together and make a large batch of curry and share it among themselves. The spices used for this mixture can vary; however, the main staples that are used are the same, such as onion, ginger, garlic, scotch bonnet, curry leaves, pandan leaves, and cummin seeds. These ingredients are combined and grounded on a Maldivian contraption called ‘dhai and foi’, which is a big slab and a roller made out of gravel stone. This is the main reason that the curry has a very distinctive taste.
Once the fish balls are ready, they are cooked in the spice mixture and coconut milk until it thickens. Once it is done, the curry is brownish green and can be paired with rice or roti. The flavorful taste that hits your mouth is bursting with a savory spice blast. Don’t ever miss out on ‘Golha Riha’ if you visit the beautiful Laamu. It’s worth it.