Easy Riha Folhi

Riha Folhi is one of those comforting Maldivian favourites that many of us grew up enjoying at tea time or on special evenings at home.

We first shared our original Riha Folhi recipe using valhomas, but this time we’ve simplified it by using canned tuna — making it more accessible, convenient, and just as delicious.

For our recipe, we used Loajehi Havaadhu – Meat Curry Powder, provided to us by one of our partners, KDM. This is a fragrant spice blend that adds depth, warmth, and a rich curry flavour to the filling.

Yield: 12-13 Riha Folhi

Ingredients:

For the filling

• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
• ¼ tsp grated ginger
• ¼ scotch bonnet (or to taste)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 curry leaves
• 3-inch piece of pandan leaf
• ½ tsp sugar (or to taste)
• ¼ tsp grated garlic
• 3 ½ tsp Loajehi Havaadhu – Meat Curry Powder
• ¼ tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
• 1 tuna can (drained)
• ¾ cup water
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp lime juice (or to taste)

For making the folhi

• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/3 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 ¼ cup water

Instructions:

1. Heat ½ cup coconut milk in a large pan on low heat for 1 minute.
2. Add 1 large onion (thinly sliced), ¼ tsp grated ginger, ¼ scotch bonnet, ¼ tsp cinnamon powder, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, 2 curry leaves, 3-inch piece pandan leaf and ½ tsp sugar to the pan. Cook on medium heat for around 10 minutes or until the onions soften and begin to brown.
3. Add ¼ tsp grated garlic and stir well to combine. Then add 3 ½ tsp Loajehi Havaadhu – Meat Curry Powder, ¼ tsp chilli powder and 1 tuna can (drained). Stir it for a minute with a spatula.
4. Add ¾ cup water, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp lime juice and stir to combine. Cook the mixture for 6-7 minutes or until the mixture has lost most of the water. Switch off the stove and set the filling aside.
5. Now to make the folhi. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, ½ tsp salt and 1/3 tsp turmeric powder. Add in 1 ¼ cup water and mix with a fork until everything is smooth.
6. Heat a pan on medium low heat, and once you are sure the pan is well heated, add 2 tbsp of batter to the pan and quickly run the back of the tablespoon in a circular motion over the batter to spread it into a somewhat thin circular shape. It should be around 4.5 to 5 inches in diameter.
7. When the batter is cooked, remove with a spatula. Do remember that you have to insert the filling and roll it into a folhi while it’s still hot, as soon as you remove it from the pan (the instructions for that are right below). Also, the batter cooks really quickly, in just seconds, when the batter comes off the pan easily, that’s an indication that it’s cooked.
8. As soon as you remove a folhi, lay it flat on a plate. Near one edge (not right at the edge but close to it, so that you’ll have a bit of folhi to hold when rolling) of the folhi, place a tablespoon of filling in the shape of a line.
9. Fold the folhi at both ends of the filling line. Press it a bit so that it holds the shape.
10. Starting from the side that you placed the filling, roll the folhi and press down lightly. The heat will allow it to set into the shape.
11. Repeat with the rest of the batter and filling. Also, don’t worry if you don’t nail the first few Riha folhi; this is the sort of thing that needs a little bit of practice.