Ingredients
500 g fresh fish fillet (about 1 lb), 500 ml chicken broth (about 2 cups), 15 g cooked ham, 15 g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 15 g yellow egg cake, 25 g fresh bamboo shoots, 25 g egg whites, 10 g cooked green peas.
Seasonings
Salt 2.5 g (about 1/2 tsp), MSG 2 g (about 1/2 tsp), lard 30 g (about 2 tbsp), Shaoxing wine 20 g (about 1.5 tbsp), scallion 10 g (about 2-3 stalks), ginger 7.5 g (about 1-inch piece), cornstarch 25 g (about 3 tbsp), chicken fat 15 g (about 1 tbsp).
Instructions
1. Slice a portion of the ham, dried shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and egg cake into pieces, then finely dice the remaining portions. Combine the diced ingredients with shelled green peas, salt, and MSG, mix with lard, and shape into balls about 3 cm (1.2 inches) in diameter.
2. Pat the fish meat with a knife to loosen it, remove any bones, and cut into chunks. Rinse in clean water, drain well, then place on top of pork skin and mince into a paste. Transfer the fish paste to a bowl, add egg whites, Shaoxing wine, scallion-ginger juice, and water starch, then stir vigorously in one direction, gradually adding water while mixing, along with salt, until the mixture becomes firm and elastic.
3. Use your left hand to scoop up the fish paste, squeezing it out between your thumb and index finger, then immediately press a small five-ingredient filling ball into the center, fold the fish paste back into your palm, use your thumb to smooth the top, squeeze out a round fish ball, and gently drop it into a pot of cold water with your right hand; once all are formed, heat over low heat until the fish balls turn a jade-white color, then scoop them into a soup bowl.
4. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a pot, then add the ham slices, bamboo shoot slices, shiitake mushroom slices, and egg cake slices. Season with salt and MSG (or chicken bouillon), bring to a boil again, then ladle the broth into the bowl containing the fish balls. Drizzle with cooked chicken oil and serve. This dish is as white as jade, delicious and refreshing.