Island Specialty · Deep-Sea Fish Broth
Kattelhi Garudhiya
📷 Closely related photo — Photo: Asaymirus / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
The fish itself lurks more than 200 meters down, so landing one at all depends on a specialized deep-drop technique that Fuvahmulah's fishermen have built their reputation on — today it's even sold to visitors as its own fishing excursion.
Kattelhi, a deep-water snake mackerel caught off Fuvahmulah, is simmered into a clear, peppery garudhiya broth and eaten with rice, freshly boiled taro, a squeeze of lime and scraped coconut on the side. It's considered Fuvahmulah's signature dish, rarely prepared quite the same way elsewhere.
Why it's made this way: Fuvahmulah's location gives it uniquely deep, close-in waters where kattelhi can be caught, and pairing the broth with the island's own taro instead of plain rice ties the dish directly to Fuvahmulah's fertile farmland.
Roughly what's in it
180kcal
22gprotein
4gcarbs
7gfat
Estimated per typical street-vendor portion — not lab-tested.
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Part of World of Street Food — 3248 dishes from 118 countries.
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