Fish Side

Crumbed fish balls with green sambal

Name: Crumbed fish balls with green sambal
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 x 350-400g whole blue mackerel; 1 tbs olive oil; 250g sebago potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces; 1 tbs ghee; 2 Asian (red) eschalots, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 small green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped; 2 tbs finely shredded fresh curry leaves; 1 tsp finely chopped dill; 1/3 cup (80ml) milk; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 1 cup (150g) plain flour; 200g stale sourdough bread, torn into small pieces; Sunflower oil, to deep-fry; 1 tbs coriander seeds; 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp chilli flakes; 1/2 tsp fenugreek; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 2 spring onions, chopped; 1 bunch coriander, roots trimmed, leaves and stems reserved; 1 long green chilli, seeds removed; 2 tbs freshly grated coconut (substitute desiccated coconut); Finely grated zest & juice of 2 limes

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by delicious. team

delicious. team

Jul 01, 2017

Serve as a starter or part of a main meal. Use a 200g fillet of Spanish mackerel if you can't find blue mackerel. This recipe makes extra spice mix – keep remainder in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks, says O Tama. Recipe by O Tama Carey, from Lankan Filling Station.

1 x 350-400g whole blue mackerel
1 tbs olive oil
250g sebago potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
1 tbs ghee
2 Asian (red) eschalots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 small green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 tbs finely shredded fresh curry leaves
1 tsp finely chopped dill
1/3 cup (80ml) milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (150g) plain flour
200g stale sourdough bread, torn into small pieces
Sunflower oil, to deep-fry

Fenugreek and turmeric spice mix

1 tbs coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Green sambal

2 spring onions, chopped
1 bunch coriander, roots trimmed, leaves and stems reserved
1 long green chilli, seeds removed
2 tbs freshly grated coconut (substitute desiccated coconut)
Finely grated zest & juice of 2 limes

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. Place fish on prepared tray and brush with oil. Season. Roast, turning halfway, for 12 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly. Remove flesh and set aside in a bowl. Discard skin and bones.
2.

Meanwhile, place potato in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Drain, mash with a fork and set aside to cool.
3.

For the spice mix, place all the spices except turmeric with 1 tsp salt flakes in a frypan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until mixture has darkened slightly. Using a mortar and pestle, pound toasted spices with turmeric until finely ground.
4.

Return frypan to medium heat and melt ghee. Add the eschalot, garlic, chilli and curry leaf. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and onion has softened. Add 1 tbs spice mix and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture catches on the base of the pan. Set aside to cool slightly.
5.

Add eschalot mixture to the cooled potato and stir until combined, then gently fold through fish and dill.
6.

Using clean hands, roll tablespoons of fish mixture into balls to make 16 balls.
7.

Combine milk and egg in a shallow bowl. Place flour and torn sourdough in two separate shallow bowls.
8.

Gently roll fish balls in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg mixture. Drain excess liquid and roll in sourdough. Place crumbed balls on a tray and chill for 30 minutes or overnight, if you prefer.
9.

Meanwhile, for the green sambal, place all ingredients and 1 tsp salt flakes in a small food processor and whiz to combine. Season to taste and transfer to a serving bowl.
10.

When ready to cook, heat 6-8cm sunflower oil in a medium saucepan to 170°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 60 seconds when the oil is hot enough). In 3 batches, deep-fry fish balls for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
11.

Scatter hot fish balls with salt flakes and serve immediately with green sambal.