I love fish balls. They are so fun to eat: you can plonk them in soups, deep-fried or grill them on skewers. Most days, you just buy the pre-made ones in the supermarkets. But they are really simple to make at home.
The star ingredient is really the fish paste. Armed with the secret weapon, you can make fancy fish balls at home!
(c) GMV - Got My Vote!
Today, I am making a 'surf n turf' version - combining fresh salmon and pork mince.
This is seriously an utterly delicious bouncy popping-fun snack. Quite therapeutic in the process of making, too.
Ingredients:
- 300g fresh salmon fillets
- 1 pack fish paste
- 200g shiitake mushroom
- 150g pork mince
- 1 bunch coriander
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon light soy
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 10g pickled ginger
Instructions:
1. Marinate the salmon fillet in cooking wine for at least 15 minutes.
2. Diced the salmon fillets, shiitake mushrooms, fresh coriander into fine pieces.
3. Place all ingredients in a large stainless bowl.
4. Mix together with your hands.
Now, get ready for some anger therapy.
5. Pick up the mixture first and then, as hard as you can smash it or slap it down.
6. Repeat the process for 10 times.
The harder you smash/pound the mixture, the bouncier the fish balls will gets.
This is much better than therapy, not only you can release the emotional pressure from within, you are actually being constructive in the process. The tangible result is some bouncy and springy fish balls.
7. Shape the mixture into balls.
8. 'Air drop' the fish balls into a pot of boiling stock.
9. Remove when the fish balls surfaced to the top.
10. Continue with the rest of the batch.
Of course, these fish balls may not look as perfect and round as the commercial version. But don't you prefer a rustic version that has a lot to offer?
11. Serve hot with clear soup.
Homemade version is still the best. Not only you know exactly what goes in, there are no short cuts or addictives. Only pure goodness for the family.
