Mas uni/roshi
When it comes to food on a fishing boat in the Maldives, it takes some getting used to—you eat tuna three times a day. Tuna curry, tuna in sauce, tuna with a different sauce, fried tuna, tuna salad. It wasn’t exactly gourmet cuisine; everything was dry and often overcooked. However, one thing turned out to be absolutely delicious: *mas uni*, the local specialty. If you use *mas uni* as a filling in a pastry, the dish is called *mas roshi*. You can also serve *mas uni* in pita bread, on a sandwich, or simply enjoy it on its own!
If you're making *mas roshi*, mix the flour, 100 grams of grated coconut, coconut oil, and water in a large bowl. Season with salt. Knead with your hands until you get a smooth dough. Cover and let it rest in the refrigerator for half an hour. (Skip this step if you're serving the *mas uni* in store-bought pita bread).
Put on plastic gloves to knead properly and avoid getting chili on your hands. In a bowl, knead the red onion with the red chili, curry leaves, and lime juice. Add ½ teaspoon of salt as well. In the Maldives, they say that kneading helps the ingredients “melt” into each other. Add 90 grams of grated coconut and the tuna, then gently mix with your hands until the tuna reaches a fine texture. The tuna salad (mas uni) is now ready.
Take a small ball of dough, about the size of a golf ball. Flatten it into a circular shape, approximately 5 centimeters in diameter. Hold the dough in one hand and place a spoonful of tuna salad in the center. Fold the dough around the tuna, sealing it completely so that the filling is fully covered. Gently press the filled dough ball flat until it is about 1 centimeter thick.
Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, place the tuna-filled pastries in the pan. Cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, flipping them every 2 minutes. Make sure the dough is fully cooked—depending on the thickness of your pastries, this may take a little longer. Finally, sear the edges to ensure the dough is thoroughly cooked on all sides.
Slice the tuna pastries in half and serve with lime.