May 3, 2010

Fuzhou : Three Generations of Fishball Making

For a long long time I have wondered how minced meat could be stuffed into traditional Foochow delicious fish balls.

Fish balls have also been a favourite food in my family. My maternal grandmother always ordered fish balls and tang hoon whenever she went to eat in a coffee shop. So we developed the same taste.

Thus I was very delighted by a specially arranged visit to one of the oldest Fish Balls Shops in Fuzhou city which is the Yong Ho found in San Fan Qi Xiang.My team mates were so eager to know all the details and we were all very pleased by the superb briefing given by the young owner - Mr. Lau.



They put up a good demonstration as we had great connections through Mr. Huong.


We were even given a chance to fill the fish balls with minced pork.


The Fuzhou fish balls looking exactly the same size floating in a basin of clear water.



One of the chefs checking the quality of the steamed fish balls.


The owner (Mr. Lau) - third generation - giving a good historical account of the business.

After visiting the business premises we realised why the Fuzhou fishballs can only be that good!!

11 comments:

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I ate my first Foochow fish ball in Sinagpore. My Foochow ex classmate's mum bought some. I asked why I didn't eat them in Sibu. May be my hakka mum and cantonese didn't buy them. NO, my mum made her own no filling fishball.

Ensurai said...

Hi Ann
I have known for a long time that only Singapore sells Fuzhou City manufactured filled fishballs. We Foochows in Sibu have been eating the locally made fishballs ...
And I think Hokkiens make good fish balls from Ma Kah or spanish mackerel. In Penang I learned that they used Ikan parang...and nowadays I know that the Yellow Eels and Shark also make good fish balls....

But I have learned to eat delicious barrumundi and Patagonian toothfish...no need to make fish balls overseas....as the supermarkets have plenty...and then fresh fish is available all the time in Miri now.

Bengbeng said...

the wonderful thing abt fish balls is they r low calorie too esp with tang hoon soup

Ensurai said...

Hi Bengbeng
Nice to hear from you. Fish balls are nice and especially with tang hoon soup and lots of tiensin vegetables (preserved Chinese veg)....it is really our comfort food....

wenn said...

interesting! i love fish balls!

Lee said...

Hi Sarawakiana, those fish balls look fantastic. Hope I get the chance to try them one day.
Very interesting post. Have a nice day, Lee.

Ensurai said...

Dear Wenn

I think these are the best Foochow fish balls in the world...hope one day you can visit Fuzhou city too.

thanks for visiting.

Ensurai said...

Dear Uncle Lee

Having seen the demo (one can see them working through the display window upstairs) I realise how important it is to have fresh fish and skilful hands to make such fish balls...excellent..and May God one day bless you with a great trip to China and especially Fuzhou city and Xiamen.

Thanks for visiting!

Peter Yong said...

Very unique way of making fishball and it's big too:)

Ensurai said...

Hi Peter

These fish balls are very big...nope they do not use any self rising flour...it is all fish flesh which has been minced (blended) well...

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