Curry Fish Balls (咖喱魚蛋)

5 from 4 votes

Curry Fish Balls (咖喱魚蛋)

These Curry Fish Balls are coated in a sauce full of bold and fragrant flavors. Enjoy them as you would in the streets of Hong Kong - right off a skewer!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 216kcal

Author: Jeannette

Equipment

Mortar and pestle

Ingredients

1 kg / 2.2 lb fried fish balls (or regular fish balls)
1 kg (2.2 lb) daikon
20 rehydrated shrimps
2 tbsp yellow curry paste
1 tbsp sa cha sauce
1 tsp chu hou paste
1 tbsp tumeric powder
3 tbsp curry powder
10 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
5 red shallot (finely chopped)
2 slices ginger (finely chopped)
3 tbp cooking oil
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 L / 8 US cup water (half for the first blanch, half for the second blanch with sugar)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 1/2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1/2 tbsp sugar (to blanch the daikon)
1 tbsp potato starch (for the starch slurry)
2 tbsp water (for the starch slurry)
3 bay leaves
3 dried chili (optional)

Instructions

Use a mortar and pestle to pound the rehydrated shrimp until fine.
Tip: Pound the shrimp in small batches rather than all at once.
Remove the head of the daikon and double peel them (peel the first layer off, then peel off another layer).
This step is vital for removing the bitterness and tougher layer found in the outer part of the vegetable.
Cut the daikon into large chunks, roughly 5cm (2") wide.
Bring 1L (4 US cup) of water to a boil and add the daikon in to blanch for 2 minutes to further remove the bitterness.
Drain the water and daikon, then bring a fresh 1 L (4 US cup) of water to a boil with 1/2 tbsp sugar.
Add the blanched daikon back in and cook for another 3 minutes, then pour all the contents into a bowl as you prepare the other ingredients.
Pour the oil into a wok on low-medium heat. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by putting a wooden utensil (such as a chopstick) into it.
If it bubbles, add the pounded shrimp in and brown for 5 minutes. If it doesn't bubble, wait until it does before adding the shrimp.
Turn the heat up to medium and add the red shallots, ginger and garlic. Fry them for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
Reduce the heat to low and pour the curry powder, tumeric powder, curry paste, chu hou paste and sa cha sauce in and stir for 15 seconds.
Pour the Shaoxing rice wine in around the sauce and stir for 15 seconds.
Turn the heat up to high and pour the daikon in along with the water.
Throw in the chili and bay leaves, then let it simmer and braise for 3 minutes.
Note: If you prefer it spicier, you can stir fry the chili and bay leaves when you cook the sauces. This will help to bring out the spice.
Pour the fried fish balls in and mix them through the sauce.
Season with salt, oyster sauce and sugar and let it braise for another 15 minutes or until soft.
Turn the heat to medium, stir the potato starch with water to make a starch slurry. When well combined, pour it slowly into the wok. Stir as you pour to avoid making clumps.
Note: Adding the slurry is entirely optional and can be done according to your preference. If you like the sauce thicker, add more slurry in. If you prefer a thinner sauce, use less or skip it altogether.
Serve immediately on bamboo skewers as is!

Notes

Simmer the dish for longer. Curry Fish Balls is one of those recipes that will only taste better the longer you let it cook over a low-medium heat. But if you want to eat it straight after cooking, it'll still taste great!
Use younger daikon. These will tend to be softer to the touch and sweeter than the older ones, which can be more bitter.
Choose a curry paste you know and love. There are many brands that make curry pastes and the flavor will affect your final dish. Experiment with the ones that you love or go with a brand that you trust.

Nutrition