Huni Baiy

Huni baiy is well loved among many corners in the Maldives. This is a simple but elevated version of the usual cooked rice or ‘fala handoo baiy’. We cooked this rice the traditional way, on the stove, but you can use a rice cooker as well.

Serving size: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup rice
• 3 + 1/3 cup water
• ¾ cup grated coconut
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Wash and rinse 1 ½ cup rice under the tap, until the water becomes clear.
2. Into a pot, add in 1 ½ cup washed rice, 3 + 1/3 cups, ¾ cup grated coconut, and ½ tsp salt. Mix everything together.
3. Cook the rice on medium-high heat for 14-15 minutes (cook at 160 degrees Celsius if you are using an induction cooker). It will be bubbling quite a bit but don’t cover or turn the heat down. At this point, the water should be at the same level as rice. Stir again a few times.
4. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for another 7 minutes or until there is no water left. The rice should now be fluffy and you should be able to see the grated coconut bits throughout the rice.
5. Then, remove the lid, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, gather the cooked rice near the sides of the pot to the center, creating a dome shape. Cover the pot again and cook on low heat for another 2-3 minutes.
6. When the rice is done cooking, let it cool down for about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!