Mas Huni

What it really is

A Maldivian breakfast of shredded smoked tuna mixed with coconut, onion and chilli.

Mas huni is a Maldivian breakfast dish of shredded tuna mixed with coconut, onion and chilli. It is commonly served with flatbread. Its name reflects the fish-and-coconut mixture, and the dish is generally eaten cold or at room temperature rather than cooked as a stew. Recipes vary in the fish and balance of ingredients.

Tuna is flaked or shredded and mixed with grated coconut, finely cut onion and chilli. Some versions use smoked or dried fish, while others use cooked tuna. Lime or other souring ingredients can brighten the mixture, but are not universal. The result is a moist, textured relish-like salad in which fish remains the main ingredient and coconut provides body.

Mas huni is commonly paired with roshi, a flatbread, for breakfast. This pairing balances the savory fish mixture with a mild bread and makes a filling meal. The fish preparation can vary, so a menu should not call it smoked unless the kitchen confirms that method. It is distinct from garudhiya, which is a clear fish broth, and from mas roshi, which encloses tuna and coconut inside bread.

How it's served

Serve in a bowl or as part of a breakfast plate with roshi. The mixture is usually prepared ahead and served cool or at room temperature.

How to write it on the menu

Describe mas huni as tuna mixed with coconut, onion and chilli, specifying whether the fish is smoked. Confirm fish, citrus and accompaniments with the kitchen before making allergen or dietary claims.