FIsh Ball Noodle Soup

Fish Ball Noodle Soup. No, no. Not market bought fish balls, but made from a scratch, home made fish balls. Yes. Indeed. I made fish balls for a change. Can you believe it? For someone like me who is, if not always, sometimes taking the door to ready made ingredients (Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup, Sichuan Noodle Soup &  Bee Hoon Soup), I actually did it for these fish balls in noodles and soup. Why, are you asking me? Well, what should I tell you? Maybe because I wanted fish broth (Cambodian Sour Fish Soup & Vietnamese Fish Soup) from the bones after carefully stripping away fish flesh (Yong Tau Foo) for fish balls. Not bad right? I know. In fact, we had a ball of a time over this Fish Ball Noodle Soup. Really bouncy and no smell soft fish balls, and as I have already told you, fish bones and skin simmered for extracting the broth (Nyonya Spicy Fish Noodle Soup, Salted Fish Bone Soup, Thai Fish Noodle Soup & Penang Assam Laksa). Next? Hand crafted and hand rolled fish balls cooked in the broth till they floated atop and together with the broth, generously poured over noodles, garnished with fried shallots and fried basil leaves atop just my invention at the spur of the moment from the basil leaves grown in my garden. Of course, you can use spring onion or even coriander leaves. Conclusively, Fish Ball Noodle Soup, wouldn't you agree is making your hungry right now and imagine, what a feeling when tucked in during and after rain has fallen down from the sky (Hokkien Hae Mee, Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup & Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup)?

Ingredients
2 medium size (about 400g) tenggiri/Indian mackerel - remove skin and bones from the flesh.
1 sprig spring onion - slice thinly
1/2 tsbp corn flour
3 to 4 sprigs basil leaves (or spring onion)
5 shallots - slice thinly
1 tsp anchovies granules or 1/2 cube anchovies stock (optional)
Mee Hoon (as needed) - blanch to soften
4 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper for taste

For sambal/chilli dip
2 red chillies
1 green chilli
2 garlic
1/4 inch ginger
1/2 tsp sugar
Calamansi lime juice (as needed)
A pinch of salt

Method
For fish balls
Process/pound fish flesh till smooth.
Add spring onion, corn flour, salt and pepper.
Wet your hands, pinch fish paste bit by bit and roll into tight balls (depending on the size you prefer)
Keep them aside.

For the broth
Heat oil and fry shallots till crispy.
Remove and keep aside.

Do the same to the basil leaves.

In the same oil, fry fish skin and bones for about 2 to 3 mins.
Pour 1 litre of water.
Season with salt, pepper and granules/stock.
Simmer over low heat for about 30 mins.
Drain to discard bones and skin.
Pour back broth in the pot.
Keep it simmering.

For sambal/chilli dip
Pound/process chillies, ginger and garlic.
Combine and mix with sugar, salt and lime juice.

To serve
Gently drop fish balls into the broth and when they float up, add them and pour broth over the noodles (assemble noodles in a bowl).
Garnish with fried basil leaves and shallots.
Serve with sambal/chilli dip.