Steamed Fishballs Recipes

Steps:

• To make fish balls, pound shallots, chilies, lime leaves, turmeric, lemon grass, ground coriander and pepper to a paste in a mortar and pestle, or use a food processor. Transfer to bowl.
• In food processor, blend cod and mackerel to a smooth paste. Add eggs. Gradually pulse in aromatics and coconut milk, alternating ingredients, until incorporated. Pulse in rice flour until you can form paste into a ball.
• To make sauce, whisk remaining ingredients, other than oil and panko, in a bowl.
• In a saucepan or wok, heat 3 inches oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, grind panko in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Using wet hands, roll fish paste into 2-inch balls. Dip balls into panko and coat evenly. Fry, turning frequently, until golden brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Serve with dipping sauce.

Steps:

• 1. Soak dried mushrooms. 2. Cut fish in strips 1-inch long. Cut ham, bamboo shoots, Chinese cabbage and soaked mushrooms in similar strips. 3. Mince ginger root then combine in a deep bowl with cornstarch, sherry, salt, pepper and egg white. Add fish strips and toss gently to coat then add ham and vegetable strips, tossing to coat. Form into walnut-size balls and place in a shallow heatproof dish. 4. Steam until done (about 7 minutes). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. 5. Heat stock in a saucepan and add remaining salt. Meanwhile blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste then stir in to thicken. Pour sauce over fishballs and serve. NOTE: Unlike the minced fishballs, these, which are made with fish strips, have a ridged surface. This dish is also known as Rainbow Fish or Yangchow Fishballs. VARIATIONS: * For the Chinese cabbage, substitute fresh spinach. * In step 3, add 2 teaspoons oil to the cornstarch-sherry mixture. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Steps:

• Fishballs can be used in a variety of ways: they can be deep-fried and served with a sweet-and-pungent sauce, combined with stir-fried vegetables, or added to soups and red-cooked dishes.Preparing the fish: Use either fish fillets or whole fish. With the latter, have the fish split in half and the head and big bones removed. Then, with a spoon or blunt knife, scrape the flesh from the skin. Always work from tail to head. (If you work the other way, the fine bones will come loose and be difficult to separate out.) Making the Fish Mixture: Follow any of the four recipes--Fishball Mixtures A-D.Forming the Fishballs: If the fish mixture is moist, take a fistful and squeeze it through a hole made by joining thumb and index finger, to form walnut-size balls. Or, if the mixture is of a drier consistency, shape the fishballs between the palms of the hands. (Moisten the hands first.) Cooking the Fishballs: Bring 4 to 5 cups of water almost to a boil. Add fish balls and cook over medium heat until done (3 to 5 minutes). The fish liquid may be enriched with 4 beaten egg yolks and 1 teaspoon salt, stirred in at the end of cooking, and then served with the fish. Or a fish stock may be substituted and the fish balls cooked in it. To prepare stock, simmer the fish head and bones in 4 to 5 cups of water for an hour. Then stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar, a few drops of sherry, and either 1 tablespoon lard or a few drops of sesame oil. Storing Fishballs: Fishballs cannot be stored raw, but must be parboiled first. Plunge fishballs, a few at a time, into boiling water and cook until they float. Drain and let cool. Place in a large bowl of cold water, cover, and refrigerate. The fish balls will keep several days. NOTE: Two pounds of fish fillets make about 20 fishballs. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.