Eid feasts are often linked with slow-cooked, rich gravies and indulgent dishes, but festive kitchens across regions have a much wider story to tell, which is shaped by local ingredients, seasonal cooking, and different culinary practices. This year, chefs are bringing that idea to the Eid spread, sharing recipes that go beyond just the expected.
Along with the selection of ingredients, what is also distinct is how these dishes are prepared. The focus is on building flavours step by step, so that each element gets cooked properly instead of rushing the process. This process makes the overall meal feel more complete and well thought out, while still maintaining the festive taste, without thinking that you are experimenting with something new.
Island Style Fish Curry With Vegetable Rice Pilaf & Scallop Kachumber Salad
By Chef Mohamed Satheeh, Executive Sous Chef, Oblu Nature Helengeli by Sentido
Dhivehi Mas Curry
Ingredients:
Fish – 100 gm
Onion – 25 gm
Garlic – 10 gm
Curry leaf – 2 gm
Pandanus leaf – 5 gm
Coconut milk – 30 gm
Coriander powder – 10 gm
Cumin powder – 10 gm
Curry powder – 10 gm
Turmeric powder – 10 gm
Green chilli – 2
Vegetable ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Method:
Step 1
In a pan, heat coconut oil, and sauté onions until they appear to be soft and translucent.
Step 2
To this, add garlic, ginger, curry leaves, pandan leaves, and chilli. Let these bloom.
Step 3
Now, add the tomato paste and cook until it gets a deep colour.
Step 4
Add spices such as coriander powder, curry powder, chilli powder and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 5
To this base, add coconut milk and simmer on a low flame for 5 minutes.
Step 6
Now, add fish, cook till they turn soft, season with fresh coriander leaves and serve.
Vegetable Pilaf
Ingredients:
Cooked rice – 100 gm
Cabbage – 25 gm
Carrot – 25 gm
Leeks – 15 gm
Onion – 10 gm
Garlic – 5 gm
Salt, pepper
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Method:
Step 1
In a pan, heat ghee on a low flame and add whole spices. Let them turn aromatic.
Step 2
To this, add some chopped onions, and sauté until they turn golden, but not brown.
Step 3
Add the chopped vegetables, and cook for a short span and then add rice and mix everything gently.
Step 4
Lastly, add water and cook until the rice turns fluffy, then serve.
Scallop Kachumber
Ingredients:
Scallops – 15 gm
Cucumber – 20 gm
Tomato – 20 gm
Onion – 10 gm
Green chilli – 1
Coriander – 2 gm
Lettuce – 5 gm
Salt, pepper
Method:
Step 1
In a bowl, mix some chopped vegetables with the seasonings and a little lemon juice.
Step 2
Sear the scallops in a hot pan until they appear to be golden.
Step 3
Plate the kachumber salad and top it with scallops.
(Image credit: Oblu Nature Helengeli by Sentido)
Kandu Kukulhu Style Whole Red Snapper With Fenfolhi
By Chef Mohamed Nimal, Chef de Partie, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
Ingredients:
Whole red snapper – 500 g
Cardamom, cumin, fennel, garlic, onion, ginger
Dried red chillies – 26
Curry leaves, turmeric
Coconut milk (thin & thick)
Cinnamon, grated coconut
Oil, salt, water
Prepare the curry paste:
Step 1
Roughly chop 2 onions, 3 garlic cloves and ginger.
Step 2
In a mixer, blend the grated coconut, salt, fennel and cumin, cardamom pods, curry leaves, turmeric,
dried chilli, a little piece of cinnamon, along with the chopped ginger-garlic and onion.
Cooking the curry:
Step 1
In a pan, heat the oil and add the sliced onions, the remaining curry leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon. Sauté everything briefly.
Step 2
Once the onions turn soft and get a brownish tint, add the garlic and cook until aromatic.
Step 3
Remove this mixture from the pot and keep it aside.
Step 4
To the same pan, add the thin coconut milk, water, and the remaining curry paste and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5
Hereafter, place the whole fish inside the gravy and let it simmer on a low flame.
Step 6
Cook until the fish pieces soak up all the flavours.
Step 7
Once cooked, remove the fish from the pot and roast it in the oven for about 10 minutes
Step 8
After cooking, add the fish and the onion mixture that you kept aside.
Step 9
Garnish with some roasted grated coconut with sea almonds (kanamadu), and curry leaves and serve.
(Image credit: Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa)
Kulimas (Maldivian Chicken Curry With Coconut Rice)
By Chef Mohamed Niyaz, Head Chef, Kaagé, VARU by Atmosphere
Ingredients:
Chicken breast – 150 gm
Onion, garlic, chilli, curry leaves
Tomato paste – 80 gm
Coconut milk powder – 100 gm
Spices, oil, and pandan leaves
Rice – 100 gm
Step 1
In a pan, heat oil and add sliced onion, curry leaves, pandan leaves, and chopped garlic. Sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
Step 2
Add the tomato paste to this paste and cook for 3 to 4 min on low‑medium flame.
Step 3
Add the spices and the seasoning and mix everything well. Now, add coconut milk to the curry and cook for 2‑3 min, then keep it aside.
Step 4
Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper, coriander powder and oil.
Step 5
In a bowl, add the finely sliced onion, curry leaves, Maldivian chilli, lime juice, salt & pepper. Then add the roasted pumpkin mash & grated coconut and mix.
Step 6
To make coconut rice, add water to a pan and the pandan leaves. Boil until it turns fragrant.
Step 7
Add the soaked rice & salt and cook until just 60 %.
Step 8
Add the coconut milk, salt & stir everything well.
Step 9
Garnish the rice with fried onion, puree and tueli.
(Image credit: Kaagé, VARU by Atmosphere)
Qutb Ul Mulk Ka Kathal Haleem
By Chef Mohammad Rehan, Head Chef, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru
Ingredients:
Broken wheat, barley, mixed dals
Almonds, cashews
Whole spices, rose petals
Raw jackfruit – 500 g (marinated)
Onion, ginger-garlic, herbs
Method:
Step 1
Soak all grains and dry fruits for at least 2 hours. Boil them with whole garam masala and rose petals until they turn tender. Now, blend to make a fine paste.
Step 2
In a pan, heat ghee and oil. Add the whole spices and let them splutter. Now, add the sauté onions, chillies, and seasonings. Add the marinated jackfruit and cook until it turns soft. Coarsely grind to make the mixture.
Step 3
Combine the silken grain paste with the textured jackfruit. Cook on low heat, add the water as required to get a porridge-like consistency.
Step 4
Add a dollop of ghee from the top and season with salt. Garnish with julienned ginger, crisp brown onions, and fresh mint and serve.
(Image credit: Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru)