Street Food
Fish Ball, Bola Bola
Fish ball or bola-bola is a coming of age staple in the life of every high school student in Tondo, Manila.
A fishball dipped in spiced garlic vinegar or a sticky sweet and sour sauce is so heavenly that memories were made from it.
To tell the truth, I don’t remember much what I did in high school but I certainly remember the fish ball, how it tasted, how it was so succulent, how one was never enough but had to make do with just the one as budget was constraint by highschooler’s allowance.
Eating a fishball was an absolute feast. You do not eat it hurriedly, instead one has to taste the sour vinegar as you daintily chew on the small fishball on a skewer. With closed eyes, you just let yourself go and feel and savour the many flavours that burst a challenge to your taste buds.
It has been so many years, so long ago, and yet I can almost taste fishball now; if I close my eyes I can vividly remember all those recesses and vacant periods lazing around in front of our school where a stall near a stair opposite the old Osmena High School. This stall sold the most delicious fish balls I have ever tasted.
I am still trying to find a recipe for fishball bola-bola. I will post it here as soon as I find one. Better yet, if anyone knows of the recipe, please add to the comment box below!
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I found this recipe in one of my Filipino recipe books.
Fish Ball Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups flaked fish
4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp milk (to start with)
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp parsley, chopped finely
Preparation:
- Combine the flaked fish and flour.
- Gradually add the milk. Just add enough for the fish and flour to turn into a soft dough.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped parsley.
- Give the dough a good stir to incorporate the seasoning and the parsley.
- Leave in the fridge for at least an hour for the mixture to harden that it could be made into small balls.
- Drop the fish balls into a pan of boiling water. Cook for at least 5 minutes.
- Drain and then quickly fry in some vegetable oil until brown all over.
- Serve with spiced vinegar or sweet and sour sauce.