Written By: Meera Moosa

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From the northern islands to the very south, one tradition remains constant within the Maldivian community; evening tea time with fresh hedhikaa. 

Tea time for the locals is more than a meal. It's a way of reconnecting with family, neighbours, friends and oneself — spoken through aroma, spices, and occasional stillness. Arriving quietly after Asr prayer, evening tea time is the island way of pressing pause. 

In island homes, preparation begins long before cups are filled with warm tea. A kettle of black tea is set to brew on a slow-burning fire while Huvandhumaa (jasmine flowers) are picked fresh from home gardens, rinsed and dropped into the kettle, infusing the tea with a floral sweetness. Some also add raanbaa faiy (pandan leaves) instead of jasmine for a soft earthy flavour.

Skilled hands work patiently, folding in a filling of fresh onion, spiced tuna, chilli and local herbs, to a thinly rolled out dough. Masroshi is pressed flat and cooked over a pan while perfectly round gulha and crumb-coated cutlets are ready for deep frying. Although each hedhikaa differs in shape and ingredients, their flavour remains the same; spicy, salty and warm. 

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The sweet aroma of tea and freshly cooked hedhikaa escapes the kitchen and makes its way through the home, inviting everyone to gather. As hot tea is poured into ceramic cups and plates of hedhikaa need refilling, conversations flow effortlessly while phones are left untouched. Time slows down, allowing space to reconnect with each other. 

In Male’, the ritual has adapted to the concrete towers, traffic jammed roads, and endless tasks. However, its essence remains the same — a moment of calm within the chaos. 

In the busy city life, freshly prepared hedhikaa and tea at home is considered a luxury. Instead, exactly at 4 o’clock, lines form outside beloved hedhikaa shops. Crowded, noisy, and anything but calm. From Saatanuge’s famous gulha and Husnooge’s perfect bajiya, to the corner cafes, strangers stand side by side, eagerly waiting for their own bag of warm snacks. 

Back at the office with colleagues or finally at home with friends and family, the ritual begins around the coffee table with a warm cup of tea between palms. A bite into the masroshi and just like that, a long day becomes lighter. Deadlines are briefly forgotten but tea time is not rushed. 

While jasmine is plucked fresh from the home gardens in the islands, here in the city kitchens, we add a few jasmine flowers into the jar of tea bags for that nostalgic flavour. Whether sitting in the tranquil island home or sipping tea in apartments high above the ground, we continue the ritual of slowing down with a cup of tea and some warm hedhikaa. 

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