Fuzhou Fish Ball Soup

Ingredients

• 500g firm white fish fillet, skinned
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1/3 cup sweet potato starch or cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 150g ground pork
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 scallion, minced, plus extra sliced for garnish
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 4 cups chicken or pork broth
• white pepper
• cilantro, for garnish

Before you cook

• Cut the fish into small cubes and chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Mix the ground pork with the soy sauce, sesame oil, minced scallion, and ginger to make the filling.

Steps

1. Pulse the chilled fish in a food processor with the salt until it forms a sticky paste.
2. With the processor running, drizzle in the ice water a little at a time until the paste turns smooth and slightly stretchy.
3. Transfer the paste to a bowl and knead in the starch by hand until fully combined.
4. Wet your hands and scoop up about 2 tablespoons of fish paste, flattening it into your palm.
5. Press a teaspoon of the pork filling into the center of the fish paste.
6. Close your hand around the paste, squeezing gently so it seals around the filling into a smooth ball.
7. Drop the finished ball into a bowl of cold water and repeat with the remaining paste and filling.
8. Bring a pot of water to just below a simmer, around 80°C (176°F).
9. Lower the fish balls into the water and poach for 8 minutes until they float and firm up.
10. Lift the fish balls out with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
11. Bring the broth to a simmer in a separate pot.
12. Season the broth with white pepper and a pinch of salt.
13. Add the poached fish balls to the hot broth and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through.
14. Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallion and cilantro.