Cantonese Fried Meatballs

When I was younger, my mom made tremendous efforts in cooking and experimenting different types of dishes for us to eat. And honestly, I never disliked any of her dishes. Never did I know how hard it would be to cook different types of dishes every single day, until recently, when I was thinking hard on what to prepare for hubby. Though hubby isn’t really picky about food, the joy I feel whenever he finishes up my dishes without complaining is indescribable.

As I was thinking hard this time round, I thought of my mother’s version of fried meatballs which has been my favourite since young. These meatballs are made of ground pork and fish paste. The most important ingredient that makes this dish stand out is the five-spice powder (五香粉).  Instead of the usual deep frying method, I opted for the healthier version which only uses minimal oil for shallow frying. This dish is so simple to cook and it could be served as an appetiser or even as a side dish. The moment it was served, the meatballs were gone in the wink of an eye.

Cantonese Fried Meatballs Recipe

Serves: 2-3 pax / Prep Time: 10 mins / Cook Time: 15 mins / Level of Difficulty: Simple

Ingredients

• 200g minced pork
• 1 packet fish paste
• 1 tsp five-spice powder (五香粉)
• 1/2 carrot (finely diced)
• 4 shiitake mushrooms (finely diced)
• Few dashes of white pepper
• Cornstarch for coating
• Pinch of salt
• Oil for frying

Instructions

1. In a bowl, add pinch of salt to the minced pork and mix well.

2. Mix the pork with the rest of the ingredients (except for cornstarch and oil). The mixture should be sticky.

3. Use your hand to squeeze and roll the paste into a ball shape. Repeat the process until all the paste has been shaped and set them aside.

4. Roll and coat the meatballs in corn starch before frying.

5. Heat up a skillet with some oil for shallow frying. For those who like to deep fry the meatballs, ensure that the oil is enough to cover the meatballs. Fry the meatballs for 2-3 minutes until they turn slightly brown. Use the spatula to flip them around. Repeat the process to fry the remaining meatballs.

6. Transfer out and set aside. Serve hot.

 

 

NOTES:

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