Homemade Fish Balls with Spicy Fish Ball Sauce

Homemade Fish Balls are as fun to make as they are to eat! Soft and bouncy, they're popular as street food with spicy fish ball sauce but just as delicious in soups or stir-fries.

Fish balls are a popular street food in the Philippines and are so ingrained in our food culture that every Filipino has, for sure, some "fishball" childhood memory.

They are traditionally sold in mobile wooden carts by street vendors who peddle around town. The balls are deep-fried in hot oil until puffed and golden, skewered on wooden sticks, and then dipped in various sauces, ranging from sweet to spicy to sweet and sour.

Unfortunately, to meet rising manufacturing costs and keep prices relatively cheap, the soft, meaty fish balls I remember fondly from my youth are now nothing more than flat disks filled with air. They're made mostly of starch extenders and barely contain fish meat. Fortunately, they're easy to make; you'll have a big batch to stock in the freezer for cravings!

Ingredient notes

• Fish - The recipe uses pollock, but any fleshy type, such as mackerel, round scad, or tilapia, should also work. Remember that the quality of the end product depends on using the freshest fish possible. You'll need 1 pound of fish flesh, about 1 ½ to 2 pounds of whole fish with head and bones.
• Cornstarch and water- act as a binder and help with the texture
• Seasonings- sugar and salt for a balance of flavors
• Oil- choose one with a neutral taste and high smoke point suitable for deep-frying, such as avocado, grapeseed, safflower, or corn oil.

Homemade fish balls process

1. Use a food processor to grind the fish meat into a thick paste. Alternatively, use the back of a knife to pound the meat to the right consistency.
2. The trick to the fish balls' soft, springy texture is releasing the myosin by continuously mixing, slapping, and pounding the fish paste repeatedly until it turns from sticky and grainy to smooth and glossy. Lift the fish paste from the bowl and then slap it back into the bowl repeatedly until it's smooth and shiny and begins to pull back from the sides of the bowl. This will take roughly about 100 repetitions. Alternatively, transfer the fish paste to a stand mixer and beat it using the paddle attachment for 10 to 11 minutes or until it pulls away from the bowl.
3. The traditional way of shaping the fish balls is to squeeze the fish paste between the crook of your thumb and index finger and use a spoon to scoop the balls into a pot of boiling water to finish cooking. The easier method is to portion the fish paste by the tablespoonful and roll it into balls between the palms of your hands. Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently drop in fish balls to cook until they float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out of the water and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool. You can then transfer them into reusable bags for future use or immediately use them in soups or your favorite recipes.
4. Deep-fry the fish balls until golden. They will slightly puff up during frying but deflate when removed from the heat.

Serving suggestions

While they're a great addition to soups and noodle stir-fries like pancit canton, the best way to enjoy these seafood balls, in my opinion, is deep-fried and golden. There's just something about rolling your fish concoction into rounds and watching them swim and puff up in sizzling oil that makes this homemade recipe so much fun.

For a street-style food experience right in your kitchen, skewer them on wooden sticks and dip them in specialty sauces. Just something about the generous smothering of this sweet, sticky, and spicy liquid gold makes our favorite treat doubly delicious!

Manong's Spicy Fish Ball Sauce

This Manong's special sauce can be doubled or tripled and used as a dipping sauce for kwek-kwek, kikiam, and squid balls.

• 2 cups water
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 Thai chili peppers, stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

1. Combine water, soy sauce, garlic, shallots, chili pepper, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a saucepot. Stir well until well blended and smooth.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Storage instructions

Cook the balls in boiling water according to the recipe and drain well. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a resealable bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Deep-fry them when ready to serve.

More fish recipes

Tilapia with Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Relyenong Bangus

Ukoy na Dilis

Sardines Caldereta

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!

3.78 from 54 votes

Homemade Fish Balls with Spicy Fish Ball Sauce

Homemade Fish Balls are a fun and tasty treat. Delicious as streetfood with sweet and spicy sauces or added to soups and noodle stir-fries.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Appetizer

Print Pin It Email Recipe

4 Servings

Ingredients

For the Fish Balls

• 1 pound fish flesh
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup cold water
• canola oil

For the Sweet and Spicy Fish Ball Sauce

• 2 cups water
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 Thai chili peppers, stemmed and chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

• In a food processor, grind the flesh into a thick paste. Alternatively, pound the fish flesh with the back of a knife until it turns to a thick paste.
• In a bowl, combine the fish paste, salt, sugar, cornstarch, and water.
• Using hands, stir the mixture until well combined and then shape into a big ball. Lift from the bowl and then slap back into the bowl. Repeat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the fish paste is smooth and shiny and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
• Alternatively, transfer the fish paste to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat using the paddle attachment, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
• Using a tablespoon, portion the fish paste and shape into balls by rolling between the palm of hands.
• In a pot over medium heat, bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil. Gently drop fish balls into boiling water and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until they begin to float on top.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove from the fish balls from water and allow to cool.
• In a wide pan, heat about 2 inches of oil. Add fish balls and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and puffed. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Serve with the sweet and spicy fish ball sauce.

For the Sweet and Spicy Fish Ball Sauce

• In a saucepot, combine water, soy sauce, garlic, shallots, chili pepper, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Stir well until well blended and smooth.
• Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minute or until thickened. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Notes

The nutrition info is calculated at 3 fish balls per serving, without the sauce.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 112kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 1225mg, Potassium: 468mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 45IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”