Homemade Springy Fish Balls

Fillet two slabs of fish meat along the backbone of the bighead carp tail, then slice off the belly rib bones. With the skin side down, make a long shallow slice along the center (without cutting through) and slice the pure white meat away from the skin. Cut along the middle line and angle your knife to remove all the dark red muscle line completely, then dice the clean white fish flesh into small pieces.

Transfer the diced fish to a bowl, add 20g scallion sections, 15g ginger slices, and 15ml Shaoxing cooking wine. Knead and scrub vigorously with your hand until the fish surfaces feel sticky and tacky. Pick out the scallion and ginger into a separate bowl, then rinse the fish pieces twice with clean water to wash off blood, draining well. Pour 300ml fresh water into the scallion-ginger bowl and squeeze hard with your hand to extract a concentrated scallion-ginger water for later.

Place the washed and drained fish pieces into a blender. Position a fine mesh strainer over the jar and pour the prepared 300ml ginger-scallion water through it into the blender (the liquid should submerge the fish). Blend on high speed until it transforms into a silky, completely smooth fish paste with zero gritty particles. Transfer the blended fish paste into a large mixing basin.

Add 10g salt, 1g white pepper powder, and 2g chicken bouillon powder into the fish paste basin. Wearing a glove, stir and slap the fish paste vigorously in ONE continuous direction for 2 to 3 minutes until the proteins cross-link and gel. Test by placing a handful of paste on your gloved palm—it should stick firmly even when turned completely upside down.

Add 50g cornstarch into the gelled fish paste. Continue kneading and whipping in the same single direction until the starch is fully integrated and absorbed, leaving no visible dry powder.

Separate 2 egg whites into a dry stainless steel bowl (reserve yolks for other recipes). Using chopsticks or a whisk, whip the egg whites at maximum speed until they aerate into a dense, frothy white foam.

Pour the whipped egg white foam into the fish paste basin, and add 10g lard. Wearing a glove, continue whipping fast in the EXACT same direction as before. Fully fold in the egg foam and lard until the fish paste swells, turns shiny, and regains a sticky cohesion that firmly sticks to your inverted palm.

Pour a generous amount of cold water into a wok or pan (do not heat yet). Scoop a big handful of fish paste with your left hand, squeeze it through your thumb and index finger (tiger's mouth) to form a smooth round ball. Dip a metal spoon into water, scoop off the ball, and drop it into the cold water. If the fish ball floats right away without sinking, it indicates complete gelation success. Repeat until all paste is shaped.

Once all fish balls are in the pan, turn the stove to medium heat and heat up slowly. When the water reaches a boil, maintain medium heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the fish balls puff up slightly, float buoyantly, and are cooked through.

Use a skimmer strainer to quickly retrieve the cooked fish balls and submerge them immediately into a large basin filled with cold water or ice water. Allow them to chill through completely, then drain off the water. They are now ready to serve in soups, hotpots, or enjoyed directly.