Fish Balls With Mushrooms

Soups and Congees

Fish Balls With Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 pound fish fillets, skinned with bones removed, then minced
2 Tablespoons lard softened
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 egg yolks
8 cups chicken or fish stock
2 slices fresh ginger, cut into very thin sticks
3 large dried mushrooms, soaked for an hour, stems removed and discarded, then cut into thin slices, and each slice cut into half-inch long pieces
4 ounces canned bamboo shoots, cut into thin sticks each cut half-inch long
3 Tablespoons fresh soy sprouts, their tails removed
1 scallion, cut in half the long way, then into half-inch lengths

Preparation:
1. Mix fish with the lard, then add the cornstarch, salt and rice wine, and mix well before adding in the egg yolks. Shape this mixture into one-inch balls and set them aside.
2. Bring stock to a simmer, add ginger, mushroom and bamboo shoot pieces, then carefully add the fish balls and soy sprouts, and simmer for ten minutes.
3. Pour into one large pre-heated soup tureen or preheated individual soup bowls, sprinkle scallion pieces on top, and serve.

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