Fish Ball Tang Hoon

Fish Ball Vermicelli is an excellent 'clearing' dish. It is something that Greg and I would eat should we want a light meal at home. And there is nothing tastier than homemade fish balls. It may not be as super smooth as commercial ones but the taste is really pure fish sweetness. So I strongly recommend making your own for this recipe.

Homemade fish balls can also play a part in Fish Mee Hoon and Hakka Yong Tou Fu dishes or just throw some of them into clear vegetable soups for additional bites.

Serve 4-5

The Fish Balls

350 to 400gm of mackarel fish meat
2 teasp of salt

1 teasp of pepper

3 1/2 tbsp of cold water

3 tbsp of egg white

1 1/2 teasp of MSG

1) Choose a nice fresh medium sized, flat mackarel fish. Do a three part filleting on the fish. Scrap the fish meat with a spoon.

2) Place fish meat in chopper/mincer machine and mincing for a minute or so. Stop to add seasoning and continue mincing. Add egg white and water and mince till fish glutten can be seen at the side of the mincing bowl.

3)Dish out the minced fish paste. Prepare a bowl of icy water with ice in it. Wet your hands a little or if you have warm hands like mine, dip your hands in the cold water and with the same hand, start beating the fish meat against a flat surface. Scoop up and continue beating till the paste looks smooth and feels springy. Wet or dip your hands as you go along.

4) Once ready, hold some paste in your hand and do the fist motion. Paste will be squeezed out from your thumb and forefinger. With a wet metal spoon, scoop the paste right into the cold bowl of water. Continue till paste finishes.

5) Soak balls for 20 min or so in the icy water. Prepare a pot of water and boil fish balls till they float to the surface. Dish out and set aside. You can freeze balls for future usage.

The Tang Hoon Soup

3-4 bundles of vermicelli (tang hoon), soaked till soften

1/2 tbsp of minced garlic

1/2 tbsp of minced shallots

3 tbsp of cooking 4
1.5 - 1.8 litre of superior chicken soup

2 tbsp of light soya

vegies like Q chai, blanched in hot water

Perserved Dong chai, chopped (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1) Heat pot with oil, stir fry garlic and shallots till fragrant. Add superior chicken soup and light soya. Simmer for 10 min or so. Add fish balls and bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2) Cook tanghoon in boiling water and rinse with cold water. Divide into 4-5 bowls. Divide vegies and place a little bit of dong chai into bowls, and dish out fish ball soup and fish balls to each bowl. Serve with cut chillis and soya.