Milkfish ball soup

What it is

Milkfish ball soup (虱目魚丸湯) is a clear broth holding balls made from milkfish (虱目魚), a silvery farmed fish that is a staple of southern Taiwan. The balls are bouncy, with a crisp bite and a light sweetness. Shops sell other parts of the fish too, such as belly and skin, so one bowl can combine several.

Where it came from

Milkfish farming in Taiwan is often said to have been brought from Indonesia by the Dutch in the 17th century. Dutch records do show a fishery tax from 1644 and fish ponds listed in 1647, mainly around Tainan and Chiayi, but milkfish also lived in Taiwan's own waters. One food writer argues that pond farming may be more than 500 years old, begun by Chinese settlers or Austronesian peoples. Where the Chinese name comes from is still unsettled.

In Tainan, the older breakfast was milkfish ball soup with braised pork rice, and beef soup came later. West Central District still has many fish ball shops. Two on Kaishan Road have long histories: Yung Chi (永記), more than 80 years old, and Kuang Tsai (廣仔), said to date from 1952. Frozen milkfish balls are now sold in supermarkets all over Taiwan.

How it is made

The fish is first cut into boneless pieces such as fillets and belly. The meat left over from deboning is ground into a paste and shaped into balls. Tainan market stalls do this on the spot, while factories work at scale, keep the fish cold throughout and vacuum-pack the balls frozen. Shops simmer a separate stock of bones and fish bones for hours, and some add garlic chives.

How to eat it

This is a morning dish, and many shops close by early afternoon. Order the fish balls alone or a mixed soup (綜合湯) with belly, skin and dumplings, then add a small bowl of braised pork rice (肉燥飯). Soy sauce with chilli bean paste (辣豆瓣) is a common dip.