Fried Fish: Ocean Perch A Flattened Fish Balls Recipe

Fried Fish: Ocean Perch A Flattened Fish Balls Recipe is inspired by one of my favorite Filipino famous street food fish balls.  I love street foods and frankly, street foods are one of the many things I missed about the  Philippines, besides my family and friends of course. Fish balls are  very inexpensive, somewhat filling but very tasty and they are the most accessible street food because almost everywhere you go in the Philippines, you will most likely see fish balls being sold on mobile carts. They’ve been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember.

Since fish balls are not common here, I decided to recreate the recipe of my all time favorite street food. However, I wanted to make a fried fish recipe that would be good to eat for breakfast. So that’s how my Fried Fish: Ocean Perch A Flattened Fish Balls Recipe was created.

I decided to add carrots in this recipe as a food extender and at the same time to make it healthier. You can also use any type of white fish fillet but in this recipe, I used an Ocean Perch fillet. Often, you can buy this type of fish at a great discount at Kroger. The typical fish balls in the Philippines are cooked initially in a simmering water for 20 minutes. Then once it cools down, you can store them in the freezer (which can stay fresh for 3 months) or fry them and serve with their special sauce. However in my version, I replaced the boiling process  by cooking the flattened fish balls in the oven to make it easier and faster and served them using store bought sweet and chili sauce.

How To Make Fried Fish: Ocean Perch A Flattened Fish Balls Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Peel the carrots and cut them into pieces. Next, place them in a food processor, pulse a couple of times and blend on high until they break down into smaller pieces. Pour the blended carrots into a big bowl.
3.  Cut the fish fillet into small pieces and place into a food processor. Pulse a couple of times and then blend on high until it breaks down into smaller pieces. Pour the blended fish into the same bowl with the blended carrots.
4. Prepare the remaining ingredients:
   • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
   • 1 teaspoon garlic
   • 1 teaspoon of white sugar
   • 1 teaspoon of pepper
   • 1 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
   • 1 cup of all purpose flour
   • 1 cup of arrowroot flour or tapioca flour
   • 2 teaspoon of baking powder
   • 2 large eggs
5. Then pour the remaining ingredients into the same bowl with the blended carrots and fish. Mix all together until everything is incorporated. If the mixture is too thick, you can add several tablespoons of water until you get a good consistency which is not too thick but having a homogeneous texture.
6. Using a 1/3 measuring cup (grease with oil), scoop the mixture and place it on parchment lined baking sheet and press down lightly to form a flattened ball.
7. Bake at 375 F for 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the flattened fish balls reach 140 to 145 F.
8. Let them cool down and store in a freezer bag to freeze or fry them and serve with sweet and chili sauce. Though the flattened fish balls are already cooked at this stage, the frying method makes the outer layer of the flatten fish balls crispy and even tastier.

If you are looking for other fish recipes, see Easy Salmon Recipe: Steamed Salmon In Savory Sauce, Recipe For Salmon Soup With Vegetables: Fish Soup in Sour Broth and Pollock Fish Fillet Recipe: Easy Seafood Pasta Meal, 

Fried Fish: Ocean Perch A Flattened Fish Balls Recipe

These homemade flattened Fish Balls are simple to make and they can stay frozen for months. They are made from well-seasoned fish paste and molded into tasty flattened balls.

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 6 people

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

  

• 2 lb Ocean perch fillet sliced into small pieces
• 1 medium carrots peeled and cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup arrow root flour or tapioca flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• oil for frying

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F.
• Pulse the slices of carrots in a food processor on high until the breakdown into smaller pieces. Pour the blended carrots into a big bowl.
• Pulse the slices of ocean perch fish fillet in a food processor on high until it turns to a paste like consistency. Pour the blended fish fillet in the same bowl with blended carrots.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients into the mixture (except the oil) and mix together until everything is incorporated. Add one tablespoons of water if the mixture is too thick. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the mixture reaches the correct thickness. The mixture should not be too thick but should have a homogeneous texture.
• Using a 1/3 measuring cup (grease with oil), scoop the mixture and place it on parchment lined baking sheet and press down lightly to form a flattened ball.
• Bake at 375 F for 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the flattened fish balls reach to 140 to 145 F.
• Let the flattened fish balls cool down and store in a freezer bag to freeze or fry them and serve with sweet and chili sauce.
• For frying - In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the baked flattened fish ball in the skillet and fry each side for a minute or until golden brown. Remove the flattened fish balls and place them on a plate. Serve with sweet and chili sauce.

Keyword fish balls recipe, fried fish, make-ahead breakfast, ocean perch