Spicy Fried Fish Balls

5.0(58)

While eating in Kuala Lumpur food stalls, Zak Pelaccio, chef of Fatty Crab and 5 Ninth restaurants in Manhattan, first tried otak-otak, an intense, spicy mackerel paste. Although in Malaysia you’d usually find otak-otak steamed, he rolls it into balls and deep-fries them as a cocktail snack for 230 Fifth, a rooftop bar where he consults on the menu.

by Melissa Clark

Open original recipe

MalaysianAppetizer

Servings

About 40 fish balls

Total time

50 min

Calories / serving

106 kcal

Ingredients (19)

serves

4 shallots, slicedshallot
4 Thai chiles, sliced
4 makrut lime leaves, stems and spines removed
1 (2-inch) piece fresh or frozen (and thawed) turmeric, peeled and trimmedturmeric
1/2 lemongrass stalk, outer layers removed, core thinly slicedlemongrass
1 tablespoon ground coriandercoriander
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepperpepper
1 pound cod filets, cut into 1-inch cubescod
4 ounces salted mackerel, boned and skinned, cut into 1-inch cubes, or 4 ounces anchoviesmackerel
2 eggsegg
2/3 cup coconut milkcoconut-milk
4 to 5 tablespoons rice flourrice-flour
2 Thai chilies, minced
1 garlic clove, mincedgarlic
1 shallot, mincedshallot
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 limelime
1 tablespoon chinchalok
Canola oil or peanut oil for frying
2 cups panko bread crumbsbreadcrumbs

Instructions (4 steps)

01To make fish balls, pound shallots, chilies, lime leaves, turmeric, lemon grass, ground coriander and pepper to a paste in a mortar and pestle, or use a food processor. Transfer to bowl.
02In food processor, blend cod and mackerel to a smooth paste. Add eggs. Gradually pulse in aromatics and coconut milk, alternating ingredients, until incorporated. Pulse in rice flour until you can form paste into a ball.
03To make sauce, whisk remaining ingredients, other than oil and panko, in a bowl.
04In a saucepan or wok, heat 3 inches oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, grind panko in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Using wet hands, roll fish paste into 2-inch balls. Dip balls into panko and coat evenly. Fry, turning frequently, until golden brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Serve with dipping sauce.

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