Maldives fish

Maldives fish(Dhivehi:ވަޅޯމަސް,romanized:valhoamas) is curedtunatraditionally produced inMaldives. It is a staple of theMaldivian cuisine,Sri Lankan cuisine, and the cuisine of the Southern Indian states and territories ofLakshadweep,KeralaandTamil Nadu, and in the past it was one of the main exports from Maldives toSri Lanka, where it is known asumbalakaḍa(උම්බලකඩ)inSinhalaandmasikaruvadu(மாசி கருவடு )inTamil.It is also produced in small scale using traditional methods in Lakshadweep Islands in India.It is known asmassminin Lakshadweep.
The abundant sea harvest of theIndian Oceanaround theatolls of the MaldivesandLakshadweepinIndiayields manypelagic fishes, likeskipjack,yellowfin tuna,little tunny(known locally as laṭṭi) andfrigate mackerel. All these fish have been traditionally processed on theMaldive Islandsas a main source of food as well as income for Maldivians.
On a good night, given a large shoal of bonito, the fishermen, using simplebamboopoles, catch about 600–1,000 fish in two to three hours, an average of one a minute.
Every fish is gutted, skinned and cut following a traditional pattern. The gills and some of the innards are thrown away. The head and backbone are removed, and the belly piece is separated. Then the fish is divided into four longitudinal pieces calledari. These long pieces can be cut into smaller sections (foti) in the case of large yellowfin tunas.
Next these pieces of tuna are processed by means of boiling, smoking and sun-drying until they acquire a wood-like appearance. 
Being dried in this manner, the fish can be kept indefinitely withoutrefrigeration. This was important in the past, when there was no other way to preserve and store fish forMaldivians.
Historically, Maldives' fish used to be sold by the piece (ari)—a long fillet as hard as a block of wood.
Defective pieces were pounded with a huge mortar and pestle (a standard piece of local kitchen equipment) until it were powdered into fine splinters. The resulting product was traditionally used inMaldivian cuisineto flavour local dishes such asmas huni.The process of making Maldives fish produces a by-product calledrihaakuru.  This is made of stock remnant after the boiling of fish.
Maldives fish is widely used in Maldivian cuisine in dishes such as curries,mas huni,gulhaandbōkiba.
ManySri Lankan dishes, especially vegetablecurries, also include Maldives fish, which acts as a thickening, flavouring and protein component. It is also an essential ingredient in coconut sambol, which is a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine. In other dishes it is used in small quantities that the flavor is just detectable, adding a certainumamicharacter to the food. Maldives fish is the Sri Lankan answer to the shrimp pastes and fish sauces of South East Asia.
This powdered tuna is packed  nowadays in small plastic packets, already pounded or crushed. Maldives fish is used in a number of Sri Lankan dishes, sometimes retaining its strong flavor as the main ingredient, like insini sambal, which keeps indefinitely stored in an airtight jar.
Many dishes are made inLakshadweepwith Mass Min or Maldives Fish as it is called in Lakshadweep Islands in India.  Maas Podichathu is a  dish is made of mass min or dried tuna , cut into small pieces and mixed with coconut, turmeric powder, onions and garlic.This is had as a side dish along with rice. This dish is very similar to theMas hunidish made in Maldives.