These homemade fish balls take a little bit more effort to make than just buying the pre-packaged stuff in the supermarket. But they're 100x better, both in flavor and nutrition value (arguably). There are two parts to this recipe: the sauce and the fish balls themselves.
Ingredients
Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup garlic, minced
- 3 bird’s eye chili, chopped
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp cornstarch + 1 cup water
Fishballs
- 500g white fish, preferably cream dory
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- ½ cup flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp cold water
- neutral oil, for frying
Make the sauce: Combine all ingredients except for the cornstarch and water in a pot over medium heat. Once boiling, add cornstarch and water. Heat the sauce until it bubbles and thickens. Cook until glossy, stirring occasionally, 5–10 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool and set aside.
Make fish balls: Combine fish, turmeric, flour, salt, pepper, and water in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms.
Fry fish balls: Heat oil for frying in a large skillet to about 350°F. While waiting, form balls from 1 tablespoon of fish ball mixture each. Once oil is hot, fry balls in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove fish balls with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve: Place 3–4 fish balls on skewers and serve with sauce on the side.
