Maldive fish is essentially dried and cured fish, usually tuna, the jar above says katsuwonus pelamis, which is skipjack tuna. It is used in very small amounts in Sri Lankan and Maldivian cooking and also in certain cuisines of the very south of India.
It’s not only used as a flavour enhancer but also as a thickening agent and in poorer parts, even as the protein in the family meal. Many of Sri Lanka’s famous dishes have Maldive fish in it, like the Sri Lankan Coconut Sambal, Pol Sambal.
As you can see in the picture, it is sold in little pieces that resemble tiny wood chips. One of my favourite ways of using it is definitely when I make sambal and fish dishes, whether of Sri Lankan origin or not.
