Bajiang Fish Balls

Bajiang Fish Balls

　　Bajiang fish balls are an authentic local specialty snack from Tiandeng County in Chongzuo City. They can be boiled in soup, deep-fried, or pan-fried and steamed. They are chewy yet not tough, rich in nutrients, free of fishy odor, refreshing without being greasy, and have a uniquely delightful flavor that is very popular among locals.

　　The fish balls are made using carp from the Donglie River. The scales are scraped off, the fish is gutted, the head is removed, and the bones are picked out. Then the fish meat is sliced into thin pieces, first pounded soft with the back of a knife, and finally placed in a stone mortar where it is pounded into a paste using a wooden pestle. Pounding the meat is a crucial step in making the fish balls and must not be done carelessly. If not pounded enough, the surface of the fish balls will be rough, they won’t hold together well, and they’ll fall apart when cooked, resulting in poor texture. The meat must be pounded into a cotton-like paste. Fish balls made from this cottony paste are not only easy to shape and have good cohesion, but also offer a refreshing and crisp bite. The pounded meat paste requires no additional ingredients for deodorizing—just mix in an appropriate amount of soybean flour and salt, then set aside. Locally, this mixture is referred to as “raw ball paste.”

　　Bajiang fish balls are best eaten fresh. They can be boiled in a soup with fish heads, pig intestine noodles, fried tofu sticks, soft tofu, white fungus, shiitake mushrooms, pickled bamboo shoots, and pumpkin flowers, offering a unique and delicious flavor that is satisfying even in large quantities and makes for a fine delicacy at the table. Alternatively, the fish balls can be steamed and then mixed with a dressing made from shredded ginger, chopped scallions, tomatoes, and sesame oil, which is sure to whet your appetite.