Fish Balls, Fish Cake and Dried Anchovies Soup with Mushroom and Spring Onion

Malaysian Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 500 grams king fish (Or any fish of choice)
• 50 grams dried anchovies, head removed and cleaned
• 100 grams button mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 3 stalks spring onions, cut in rings
• 3 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce or to taste
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Topping

• Garlic oil (See note below)

To make fish balls

• Remove flesh from king fish slices (seer fish)
• Scrape flesh from skin and discard skin.
• Place all the fish meat on a chopping board and chop for 10 minutes.
• The fish will become slightly sticky as you chop. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to chop for another 10 minutes. The fish meat will now become a fish paste.
• Wet your hands slightly with water and roll the fish paste into fish balls of desired size.

To make fish cakes

• Wet your hands again and roll the fish paste into flat elongate size. 
• Steam for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain and pan fry in hot sesame oil. Reserve liquid if desired.
• Allow to cool and cut into thin slices.

Preparation

• Bring a pot of water to boil. (I used the reserved liquid)
• Add the cleaned anchovies and allow to boil again. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the anchovies, add little salt and 1 tsp sesame oil. Mix well and microwave for 2 minutes. Set aside the crispy anchovies.
• Heat a tsp of sesame oil in a pan and add 1 tbsp minced garlic. Saute for 30 seconds till the aroma comes out. 
• Add the onion white and mushroom and saute for a minute. Add the anchovies stock and a chicken stock cube. Add some green onion. Bring to boil.
• Add the fish balls and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add fish sauce, white pepper and salt to taste. Turn off heat.
• Add fish balls, fish cake slices, mushroom and crispy anchovies. Ladle soup into the bowl, add the rest of the green onion and garlic oil. Serve hot. 

Note:

Garlic oil can be made by stir-frying minced garlic in oil.