Chinese Fire Pot with Fish Balls
This is the Chinese version of Swiss fondue, Korean BBQ, Japanese
shabu-shabu, French raclette, etc. It is communal cooking and eating
at its best. This recipe will create enough food for 8 to 12 people,
depending on appetite and cultural origin, i.e. we Chinese eat like
there is no tomorrow. We would hate to leave this planet hungry!
You can add other seafood, meats and vegetables. This is what the
Tsai family ate:
2 pounds flank steak, sliced thinly against the grain
2 pounds chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 pound large shrimp, U-15's peeled and de-veined (15 shrimp per
pound)
20 fish balls
2 pounds bay scallops
3 packages soaked mung bean noodles
4 Shanghai cabbage, whole leaves
4 baby bok choy, whole leaves
1 napa cabbage large chopped
2 quarts chicken stock
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed
Boiling water
For the table, jars/small bottles of the following to make your own
dipping sauce:
Samba Oelek
Peanut butter
Chinese sesame paste
Sesame oil
Oyster sauce
Rice wine vinegar
Shaoxing wine
Thin soy sauce
2 cups chopped scallions
2 cups chopped cilantro
Eggs (optional)
Thread beef, chicken, shrimp, fishballs and scallops on wooden
skewers and set aside. Combine water and chicken stock in an
electric wok and bring to a boil. Add mung bean noodles, cabbage,
bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. Place skewers in pot and cook
according to individual taste. Ladle broth into bowls with skewered
meats and seafood and serve with condiments.
FISH BALLS:
2 pounds Chilean sea bass or other fatty white fish
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 minced Thai bird chilies
1/3 cup sliced scallions
In a food processor, puree fish with egg yolks until smooth. Add
pepper, salt, sesame oil, fish sauce, and chilies; pulse processor a
few times. Transfer mousse to a large, chilled bowl and fold in the
scallions. Using a mixer, lift the egg whites to a stiff peak.
Gently fold in the egg whites with the mousse. Cook a very small
portion either in boiling water or in a microwave oven to verify
seasonings. Using wet hands, make small balls (1-inch in diameter).
Quickly blanch in salted boiling water for only 2 minutes. Drain and
set aside to cool. |