White, bouncy balls of fish paste beaten by hand, cooked in simmering water and served in clear soup or with noodles.
What makes it teochew fish balls
Firm sea fish — Spanish mackerel, eel or wolf herring — scraped from the skin and beaten by hand.
Seasoned with salt and a little white pepper; little or no flour, so the bounce is the fish's own.
Poached gently, not fried; smooth and very springy.
Where it comes from
Fish balls are made up and down the Chinese coast, but the Teochew kind is the springiest: the fish is scraped from the skin, salted and beaten against the bowl until it turns into an elastic paste, with little or no starch. Shantou is the usual home named for them.
In Singapore and Malaysia they became the heart of fish ball noodles — mee pok or kway teow, dry with chilli and vinegar or in soup — one of the most everyday hawker dishes there.
How it varies
Fish ball noodles
With mee pok or kway teow, dry or in soup — the Singapore hawker version.
Fish ball soup
In a clear broth with lettuce, fried garlic and a little celery.