Fishball (Dumpling) Soup
Store-bought fish balls are made of fish meat that has been finely pulverized. Homemade fish balls are usually handmade, either using ready-made fish paste or finely minced fresh fish (usually threadfin).
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
6 peeled and deveined shrimp, minced
1 threadfin fillet (about ½ pound), minced with back of cleaver/chopper
½ whisked egg white (or ¼ tablespoon corn flour)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
4 cups water (or half water and half chicken stock)
6 lettuce leaves
1 green onion, finely chopped, for garnish
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Combine minced shrimp and fish with egg white. Season with salt, pepper, sesame oil, and cilantro. Form into small balls. Set aside while preparing rice cooker for soup.
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Add water or water and stock to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the liquid boils, add the fish balls, cover the rice cooker, and boil for about 10 minutes, switching to Warm if mixture boils too vigorously.
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Once the fish balls are cooked (they will turn opaque and float to the top), remove them from the simmering soup and place into serving bowls lined with lettuce. Ladle some soup over the fish balls in the bowl before serving. Garnish with green onions.
Cooking Tip
Do not try to chop the shrimp and fish in a food processor. Doing so will produce more moisture than will mincing the shrimp using a cleaver/chopper. Too much moisture is undesirable for making firmly shaped patties or balls.
