Fishballs

🐟 Golden white-fish balls with onion and lime, about twenty pieces for four snack portions.

Ingredients

• 500 g skinless boneless white-fish fillets, well drained
• 60 g very finely chopped onion
• 25 g fine white rice flour
• 15 ml lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• A little fresh chilli, optional
• Up to ½ teaspoon salt
• About 600 ml neutral frying oil for the bath; not all is eaten

Preparation

Feel fillets for bones and remove all. Pat dry, cut small and keep cold until blending.

Pulse fish to a fine paste, then mix onion, rice flour, lime juice, pepper, measured salt and optional chilli until bound. Do not warm the mixture.

Cover and refrigerate twenty minutes. Lightly moisten clean hands and shape about twenty 30 g balls.

Heat oil to 165–175 °C in a stable deep pan, never filled to the rim. Fry a few balls four to five minutes per batch, turning gently.

Check the first centre is opaque and reaches 63 °C; extend if necessary before cooking the rest. Maintain heat without smoking.

Drain on a rack or absorbent material and divide four snack portions of about five balls. Serve hot with a separate condiment.