Description
Hong Kong Curry Fishballs are a beloved street food featuring tender fish balls simmered in a flavorful, fragrant curry sauce. This easy-to-make dish can be served as a tasty appetizer or paired with rice or noodles for a satisfying meal. The combination of Thai yellow curry paste, coconut milk, and spices creates a rich and mildly spicy sauce that’s sure to please.
Ingredients
Oil and Aromatics
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 5 shallots (minced)
Spices and Flavorings
- 1½ tablespoons flour
- 2 ounces Thai yellow curry paste (about 2 tablespoons, 57g)
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Liquids
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ⅓ cup coconut milk
Main Ingredient
- 2 packs Asian fried fish balls
Instructions
- Caramelize Shallots: Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil to a shallow pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the minced shallots until they start to caramelize, releasing their sweetness and aroma.
- Create Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the caramelized shallots and stir thoroughly to combine. Cook for about a minute to remove the raw flour taste and form a light roux.
- Fry Curry Paste: Make a space in the center of the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the Thai yellow curry paste. Fry the paste until fragrant, stirring continuously to prevent burning and to enhance the flavor.
- Add Liquids and Thicken Sauce: Pour in the chicken stock slowly, stirring to break up the curry paste and roux, creating a smooth sauce base. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to thicken slightly.
- Incorporate Flavorings and Fish Balls: Stir in the coconut milk, curry powder, soy sauce, ground white pepper, ground black pepper, and sugar until well combined. Add the Asian fried fish balls to the curry sauce.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat and simmer everything together for about 10 minutes, allowing the curry sauce to thicken further and the fish balls to heat through completely.
- Serve: Serve the curry fish balls immediately in the pan or skewered, optionally accompanied by plain rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can adjust the spiciness by varying the amount of curry paste used.
- Asian fried fish balls can be found at Asian grocery stores or substituted with fresh fish balls if preferred.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with steamed rice or rice noodles.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Hong Kong
