Most fishballs that we eat outside are loaded with flour and MSG, and are sometimes not suitable for ourselves and our kids. In this post, we show you how you can make delicious, healthy fishballs at home while having fun at the same time! We used spotted mackerel (马鲛鱼) in the instance but you can also use Yellowtail as another alternative. Even better, try both to figure out which you prefer! The best part about this recipe is that there is practically zero waste because you are using the fish's bones and head to make delicious fish stock, and the meat to make fishballs. You can get us to fillet out the fish meat so that all you need to do is to scrape out the meat from the skin once you reach home.
Step 1: Use a metal spoon to scrape the fish meat off the skin of the fish filet and off the fish bone.
Step 2: Place the fish meat on a chopping board and chop the fish meat. The fish meat will become more sticky so wet the knife to keep the fish from sticking to the knife.
Step 3: Add salt and pepper.
Step 4: This step is the most fun bit! Gather the mixture with wet hands, bring it up towards you and slap it back down, repeatedly, on the chopping board. An indication of when to stop would be when the meat comes together and firms up. This step is crucial in making your fishballs bouncy!
Step 5: Ensuring that your hands are wet, gather an amount of fish paste in your fist. Shape the fish balls by squeezing the paste in between the crook of your thumb and index finger, and using a spoon to scoop the balls into a bowl of cold water. * Tip: Keep the fishballs at around the size of a 20 cent coin. It tastes most bouncy this way!
Step 6: Drop the balls one by one into the pot of stock made from the fish bones and heads from earlier. An indication that the fishballs are cooked is when they float to the top.
Step 7: Cook the mee pok, stirring it to ensure that the noodles do not stick to each other. Add xiaobaicai/chye sim and fried shallots for that added crunch.
Step 8: You made it! Slurp away and give yourself a pat on the back!
