How to make Fish Balls

Fish Balls are among the favorite street foods by many Filipinos.  It was usually  sold by street vendors pushing wooden deep frying carts.  As the name suggests, the ball is made of fish meat that has been finely pulverized.

You can start a good food business by making your own fishballs and selling them even in front of your house  for an extra income.

All you need is a kerosene-stove, a pan, oil, bbq sticks and of course your special home-made sauce.

How to make Fish Balls

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots
• 2 potatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 2 eggs
• 3/4-1 1/4 cups cornstarch
• ginger, pepper, salt,
• 1 kilo fish (lapu-lapu, talakitok, apahap, maya-maya, or carp)
• vetsin and soysauce

Utensils:

• Kitchen knife
• Measuring cups
• Chopping board
• Strainer
• Ladle
• Frying pan
• Kettle
• Stove
• Jars/bottles

Procedure:

1. Boil fish for 3-5 minutes in water with ginger.
2. Strain and put in a container. Remove the heads entrails, skin and bones. Flake the fish.
3. Peel and chop the carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes. Mix and combine with the fish flakes.
4. Grind. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, vetsin and cornstarch.
5. Mash and form into balls.
6. Boil fish stock. Drop fish ball one by one into the boiling fish stock. Drain.
7. Deep fry in hot oil.
8. Store in sterilized bottles, add 2% brine solution (1 tsp. salt for every 4 cups water).
9. Cover and boil for 11/2 hours.
10. Store for 12 days.

How to Make Sauce

Red Sweet and Sour Fish Ball Sauce
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup White sugar
• 1 tablespoon Catsup, to color
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Pour Vinegar into pan, dissolve sugar, low-medium heat.
2. Dissolve catsup in 1/4-cup water, then mix with vinegar and sugar in pan. Slowly simmer.
3. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4-cup water, then add to mixture, stir.
4. Turn to high heat for 10secs or until consistency is just right, add grounded pepper(optional).

Brown Fish Ball Sauce

1. Same procedure just add Sprite or 7 Up to vinegar and sugar mixture (according to taste) some fish ball vendors use Royal or Orange Soda.
2. For the color and consistency, substitute catsup with soy sauce and cornstarch with flour.
3. Note: Corn Starch makes a clear sauce, Flour makes a merky looking sauce, no difference in developing consistency)