PRODUCT BROCHURE Aavi Private Limited CONTENTS
Aavi ...... 04 01 Our Values ...... 06
Kelaa’s Farmlands ...... 08 02 Faming Faces ...... 10 Our Products ...... 16 Steamy Starches ...... 18 03 Curated Malaafaiy Keyn ...... 26
Product Highlight - Kan’doo ...... 28 History of Kan’doo ...... 30 04 Harvesting and Preparation ...... 32 How to Eat Kan’doo ...... 34 AAVI
Aavi, a Dhivehi word meaning ‘steam’ is a local brand with its roots in Ha. Kelaa, the north of Maldives.
We specialize in bringing seasonal produce from farm to table, ready to be steamed or boiled. Supporting Aavi products directly support local farmers, especially the women of Ha. Kelaa.
Support our mission, purchase your Aavi products today.
4 5 OUR VALUES
SUSTAINABILITY
Out of the two kandoo seasons, a maximum limit will be set and revised as necessary. Currently kandoo is harvested only during one.
SUPPORTING LOCAL WOMEN
Aavi is a means of income for women in agricultural based islands
where they take the lead in harvesting and preparation.
6 PRESERVATION OF KANDOOFA
Providing an economic value to Kandoofa through our signature product kan’doo facilitates its conservation and appreciation.
REVIVE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Kandoo harvesting and preparation is part of a lengthy process, the knowledge of which we are working to pass on to future generations.
SUPPORTS FOOD SECURITY
Kelaa’s Kandoofa kept many northern communities food secure during WW2. Keeping it alive and supporting our farms ensures our communities have the knowledge should there be a need.
7 KELAA’S FARMLANDS
Kelaa’s sun dappled farmlands sit flanked by rows of coconut palms and a mangrove to its sides. On a quiet morning, you can hear the waves crashing beyond the mangrove. If you’re lucky, you can catch the fleeting moments when a Kan’bili (Maldivian Water Hen) darts between farms with their little chicks in tow. These truly Maldivian farms are the ones we celebrate, where each farm is owned by a local and the produce is seasonal.
8 9 FARMING FACES
DHAITHA
Dhaitha’s kitchen is still reminiscent of the traditional Maldives. She has a gas stove on one side, and an open space with a chimney for cooking over firewood on the other end. When we enter her house, she is deep frying cassava on her gas stove while boiling kandoo for the third time on the open fire. As she keeps an eye on all that is going on in her bustling kitchen, she entertains us by immersing us in stories of the past - of a time when she was younger, of the bountiful harvests, and of how entire communities were involved in the effort of fishing and farming - tales of a food secure past.
We follow her later that evening into the mangrove forest, breaking out into small runs to keep up with her sure and steady stride. We nearly bump into her when she stops - sensing a change in scenery that we didn’t. mangrove fruit.
10 11 12 Dhaitha gets to work immediately, leaving her slippers at the edge of the muddy mangrove and wading right in. She is a transfixing mixture of delicate weaving through the dense trees, and sharp movements to collect the fallen
When she’s done harvesting for the day, she begins a brisk walk back, answering our never ending stream of questions. Just as we reached the edge of the farm lands, she left us with a message with hints of a warning:
“I want to ask young people to carry this knowledge forward. Don’t let it die out. Learn how to harvest and prepare kan’doo. The world won’t always stay the same. When times are good you might not need to come here. But we shouldn’t assume that security. We must be prepared for the worst. Every one of us.”
Dhaitha and the collective wisdom of the elders of Kelaa, is what inspires the food security and sustainability focus of Aavi and our products.
13 SAUDHIYYA
When we meet Saudhiyya, she is doing four things at once. She has set up kan’doo to be boiled, has a thatch weave going, is putting clothes out to dry, and has lunch boiling away on the stove.
As she explains the process of preparing kan’doo for eating, she reminisces about a past with time spent in the mangrove forest with family and friends, and moonlit nights peeling kandoo with them. Her stories show the close knit and community owned nature of Kelaa’s farms and the farming culture. Each farm is owned by a familiar face, and Saudhiyya too owns a farming plot of her own.
Women like Saudhiyya are the cornerstone of island communities of the Maldives. They are superwomen, managing households and working multiple trades to support their families. It is for women like these, that Aavi is made for. Your purchases go directly to supporting women and households in these Maldivian island communities.
14 15 OUR PRODUCTS
All of Aavi’s products are sourced directly from Ha. Kelaa’s farmlands. We present to you our Steamy Starches product line - well loved fruits and roots that are a great addition to any meal.
16 17 STEAMY STARCHES
KAN’DOO - OUR SIGNATURE PRODUCT
Our first and signature product is ready-to-steam Kan’doo, mangrove fruit, a unique starch from Kelaa’s Kan’doo Mangrove. We work with local women to preserve the knowledge of Kan’doo harvesting to increase food security and resilience for our future. Our customers can be assured that we respect the seasonal nature of the mangrove, and will only be harvesting limited amounts in a controlled process so as to not disrupt the fragile ecosystem.
Kelaa’s Kandoofa has been abandoned for far too long, and we hope to revive its importance and connection for the community, to be able to conserve the mangroves for generations to come.
18 19 DHANDI ALUVI
Dhandi aluvi or Cassava is a staple root starch in Maldivian cuisine. Dhandi aluvi is commonly boiled in water and eaten with dried fish and coconut flesh as a snack or as a side dish with other foods such as Garudhiya and rice.
It is also used to make a popular Maldivian dessert: Dhandi Aluvi Boakibaa, a cassava cake. This is a well loved recipe in Maldivian households, and is easy to make with our fresh dhandi aluvi.
This product is also sold as chips.
20 ALA
Ala is also known as Taro, a starchy root vegetable grown in many agricultural islands of the Maldives. Kelaa is especially primed to grow Ala due to the presence of wetland areas with shallow water tables.
When cooked, Ala has a mildly sweet taste and is similar in texture to potatoes. Ala is rich in fiber and other nutrients, with potential benefits for blood sugar management, gut and heart health.
Our Ala comes in a variety of forms: ready to steam as a starch, ready to boil in curries, or as ala chips.
21 KATTA LA
Kattala is the Dhivehi word for sweet potato, and is a tuberous crop grown widely across the Maldives. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, and in the Maldives, the most well known color of kattala is purple.
Kattala are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, they are rich in antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals and also promote gut health.
Our kattala products come ready to be steamed, boiled or can even be bought as chips.
22 BARABOA
The juicy baraboa from Maldivian farms are a delight simply grilled by itself or topped with curry spices. These are small Maldivian pumpkins, which are a well loved ingredient in curries and in mashuni (the Maldivian version of a tuna salad).
Our fresh baraboa comes directly to you from well loved farms, and can be purchased whole or per kilo value.
23 BANBUKEYO
Banbukeyo (breadfruit) is a popular starch which many
locals use both as a savory or sweet dish. Banbukeyo
may be steamed to enjoy with rice grated coconut and
is eaten with soups and curries. It can also be cooked
and thickened with sweeteners for a tropical dessert!
When steamed, banbukeyo may have a mildly sweet
taste depending on how ripe the fruit is when
harvested. While breadfruit has similar carbohydrate
composition to rice and potatoes, it has lower fat
content and higher protein content, making it a great
starch substitute in your meals. Our Banbukeyo comes
in a variety of forms: ready to steam or bake, or as
banbukeyo chips.
24 MAALHOS KEYO
Maalhas Keyo is a type of banana grown in the Maldives which performs similarly to the rest of the products in our Steamy Starches line.
Although it can be cooked with sugars and thickened to form a dessert, Maalhas Keyo is most commonly had as a savory dish steamed and served with garudhiya (fish soup) and grated coconut.
This product is also sold as chips.
25 CURATED MALAAFAIY KEYN
Upgrade your Maldivian buffet night to an all out traditional Malaafaiy Keyn with locally sourced steamed goods! Aavi can support the local and organic sourcing of ready to be steamed starches integral to a Maldivian feast.
A Keyn is an age old tradition in the Maldives which is a feast to celebrate special occasions. Malaafaiy is a Dhivehi word that describes a large wooden serving dish which the Keyn is served in. The exterior and lid of this dish are decorated with intricate designs of traditional Maldivian lacquer work.
The main part of the feast will be inside the Malaafaiy, typically filled with rice and smaller accompanying side dishes arranged neatly on top of the rice. The Malaafaiy is then wrapped in a white cloth and tied with a knot at the top. The accompanying dishes in the Keyn can include curries, fish soups, roast chicken, egg biryani, omelette, coconut sweet and coconut water.
26 Kan'doo can be served alongside other steamed starches as part of the Malaafaiy Keyn, such as steamed breadfruit, cassava and sweet potatoes.
27 PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT: KAN’DOO
Our flagship product that inspired the brand Aavi comes from the mangroves of Ha. Kelaa: kan’doo. Kan’doo is a rare treat in households these days, especially given the effort it takes to prepare it for packaging. However, it is an important food source for food security in Maldivian islands.
28 29 HISTORY OF KAN’DOO
The use of Kandoo as a food source in Kelaa has an interesting history. While it has always been a source of food in Kelaa, kandoo gained particular importance during the Second World War.
The effects of the war reached Malivian shores in the form of extreme food shortage which resulted in a big famine, locally referred to as a Bodu Thadhu. During this time, islands with kandoofa were among the most food secure populations, Kelaa among them
While the majority of the country was starving, having an abundant supply of Kandoo made the people of Kelaa and surrounding islands much more food secure.
30 31 HARVESTING AND PREPARATION
When the kan’doo has ripened on Kan’doo is peeled lightly to It is then soaked, covered with the trees, they fall to the ground. remove the skin, using a breadfruit leaves and a ball of Kan’doo pickers move through special knife - kan’doo valhi. ash to soften and rid of bitter the kan’doofaa (mangrove) and taste. collect them. longer shorter handle blade
32 It is then boiled After boiling, wash Dry cook kan’doo in the continuously until the the kan’doo about 6-8 sun for 2 days and store kan’doo softens, stirring times to get rid of in a container until ready now and then to the smell and bitter to eat. Can be stored upto dissipate the heat. taste. 2 years.
33 HOW TO EAT KAN’DOO
METHOD 1
Soak in room Boil in water for 15 Serve with garudhiya or temperature water for minutes or until its curries as a starch. Can be atleast 1 hour softened had as a replacement for rice or breadfruit
34 METHOD 2
Place dried kandoo in a Sieve to remove any Store in a labeled air tight food processor and blend lumps. container and use it as a for 1-2 mins until fine flour replacement for cassava.
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