Bis Keemiya

A bis keemiya is a Maldivian pastry parcel, folded around spiced tuna, onion and chilli, then deep-fried. It is a savoury snack from the Maldives, usually eaten with a cup of tea. Tuna is the main filling, which reflects how central fish is to Maldivian cooking.

What it really is

Tuna is cooked with onion, chilli and curry leaves, then wrapped in a plain flour dough, folded into a parcel and deep-fried in oil until the outside turns golden and crisp. Because the pastry is a simple flour dough, the filling carries most of the flavour. The fried crust is rich, so the snack is a fried food, not a baked one. Chilli gives the filling its heat, and how hot it is depends on the cook.

How it's served

• Hot or warm, straight from the fryer, often with tea.
• Whole, as a single parcel, eaten by hand.
• Usually as a light snack or breakfast item rather than a main course.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the filling as tuna, with onion, chilli and curry leaf, so guests who avoid fish know what they are ordering.
• Flag wheat, since the pastry is made with flour, and fish, since the filling is tuna.
• Ask the kitchen whether the dough contains egg or milk, because recipes vary.
• State that it is deep-fried, and give the number of pieces per serving.