Tea by the tide: What to eat when in Maldives

Express News Service

Beyond the emerald waters, vast stretches of white beaches and overwater villas, there’s one thing that’s not customarily associated with the Maldives: tea-drinking. The locals prefer their brew black and sweetened, enjoyed with a selection of short eats called hedhika. Some of the popular snacks that go well with the brew are keemia (batter-rolled tuna keema) and gulh (dough balls with a stuffing of tuna fish and grated coconut).

Other top picks are the kuli oakihiba (fish cakes) and bis haluvaa, an egg-based pudding, best paired with two varieties—white coconut crème tea, which has a light body and smooth creamy texture, enjoyed both hot and iced; and loose-leaf Assam tea that has malty and aromatic notes.

A great place to relish a cuppa is the fish and vegetable market in the capital city Male, which throws open a whole world of local beverages, but if you like things more stylish, head to the Hilton Amingiri Resort and Spa, a zippy 20-minute speedboat jaunt away from the Velana International Airport.

Among the assortment at their Sip Tea Lounge, the organic silver needle is the most-sought-after white tea because it is only harvested for a few days every year in the northern region of Fujian in China. The drink has a light golden flush with a woody body, perfect for any time of day.

Their signature blend ‘feel better tea’ is based on ayurvedic and Western herbs, which enliven the senses. A citrus, piquant cupful is the lemon meringue tea, which has a fluffy texture and a creamy finish. This rooibos-based fusion satiates any sweet cravings one might have through the day. The full-bodied cinnamon black tea is balanced with notes of fall-ripened fig, transporting a maple-covered apple taste with sweet cinnamon.

At the resort, Executive Chef Praveen Shetty also puts up a spread with preparations such as tuna samosa and wild mushroom on multigrain with crisp arugula and sundried tomato. Just look for a table under a tree, order the rouge bourbon tea, and enjoy the sparkling sea with each sip you take.

<br /> Beyond the emerald waters, vast stretches of white beaches and overwater villas, there’s one thing that’s not customarily associated with the Maldives: tea-drinking. The locals prefer their brew black and sweetened, enjoyed with a selection of short eats called hedhika. Some of the popular snacks that go well with the brew are keemia (batter-rolled tuna keema) and gulh (dough balls with a stuffing of tuna fish and grated coconut).</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Other top picks are the kuli oakihiba (fish cakes) and bis haluvaa, an egg-based pudding, best paired with two varieties—white coconut crème tea, which has a light body and smooth creamy texture, enjoyed both hot and iced; and loose-leaf Assam tea that has malty and aromatic notes.</p> <p>A great place to relish a cuppa is the fish and vegetable market in the capital city Male, which throws open a whole world of local beverages, but if you like things more stylish, head to the Hilton Amingiri Resort and Spa, a zippy 20-minute speedboat jaunt away from the Velana International Airport.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Among the assortment at their Sip Tea Lounge, the organic silver needle is the most-sought-after white tea because it is only harvested for a few days every year in the northern region of Fujian in China. The drink has a light golden flush with a woody body, perfect for any time of day.</p> <p>Their signature blend ‘feel better tea’ is based on ayurvedic and Western herbs, which enliven the senses. A citrus, piquant cupful is the lemon meringue tea, which has a fluffy texture and a creamy finish. This rooibos-based fusion satiates any sweet cravings one might have through the day. The full-bodied cinnamon black tea is balanced with notes of fall-ripened fig, transporting a maple-covered apple taste with sweet cinnamon.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>At the resort, Executive Chef Praveen Shetty also puts up a spread with preparations such as tuna samosa and wild mushroom on multigrain with crisp arugula and sundried tomato. Just look for a table under a tree, order the rouge bourbon tea, and enjoy the sparkling sea with each sip you take.<br />