Maldivian Mas Huni with Flatbread

Ingredients

• 2 cans tuna, drained well, or 10 oz cooked tuna
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
• 1 small red onion, very finely diced
• 2 to 3 green or red chilies, finely minced
• 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• 4 flatbreads or roshi
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 2 curry leaves, very finely shredded, optional

Steps

1. Drain the tuna thoroughly, pressing it in a sieve, and flake it finely with a fork.
2. Put the coconut, onion, chilies, curry leaves, and salt in a wide bowl and rub them together with your fingertips for a full minute.
3. Rubbing rather than stirring is the whole method. The friction breaks the onion and chili down and drives their juices into the coconut, which no amount of spoon-mixing will do.
4. Add the tuna and keep working the mixture with your hands until it is evenly combined and slightly moist.
5. Squeeze in the lime juice and mix again, then taste. Mas huni is not cooked at any stage, so all the seasoning has to be judged now.
6. Adjust with more salt, lime, or chili until it tastes sharp and lively rather than flat and dry.
7. Warm the flatbreads in a dry pan for 20 to 30 seconds per side, until soft and pliable with a few blistered spots.
8. Serve the mas huni at room temperature, piled beside the hot flatbread, with lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains fish, coconut, and gluten.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.