How to Make Fish Balls
China Sichuan Food recipe - Chinese

- Prep time
- 2 hr
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- Pure fish meat 1000g ( ,I use mackerel)
- Iced water 400g + more if needed
- 2 tbsp. cooking wine
- 4 tbsp. sugar
- 3 tsp. salt
- 4 middle size egg whites
- 4 tbsp. cornstarch
Instructions
- 1
Cut the head and tails off and then separate the fish into two fillets. Use s scoop to scoop off the meat. Save the head and tails. They can be used to cook a fish stock.
- 2
In summer days, please pre-frozen the fish and egg white for 1 to 2 hours until well chilled. Prepare 400g iced water.
- 3
Smash the fish: Place fish meat, cooking wine and 200ml iced water into a food processor and then mix with slow speed until well smashed. Transfer the fish meat to a stand mixer, use the mix hook.
- 4
Mixing the paste: transfer the fish meat to a stand mixer, use the mix hook. Add salt and sugar and continue mixing for 2 to 3 minutes at slow speed. Slowly add egg white and mixing until well absorbed at slow speed too.
- 5
Add 1/4 cup of iced water each time until all of the 150ml water is added and absorbed. Then use high speed to blend the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes until the paste becomes very fluffy like cream.
- 6
Add starch: Add starch and iced water alternately until all of the starch is added. Re-peat the testing once again to make sure the paste can float on the water.
- 7
Testing the fish paste: prepare a high cup with enough water, use a small scoop and take out a small amount of fish paste out. Dip to the water and see whether it floats on surface. If yes, start the next step. If no, continue blending the mixture at high speed.
- 8
Shape the balls: prepare a large pot with enough cold water and a small cup of clear water for wetting the scoop. Grasp some fish paste on left hand and hold a scoop with the right hand. Shape the paste to a ball with the help of left index finger and thumb. Dip the scoop into clean water and transfer the fish ball from the left hand. Dip the scoop into the water in the large pot and gently slide the fish balls to the water. They will float up quickly.
- 9
How to store