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Tian bu la
Fried fish cakes and daikon
Tian bu la (甜不辣): fried fish cakes and daikon simmered in light broth, under a thick sweet chilli sauce
Tian bu la takes its name from the Japanese word tempura, but in Taiwan it means fried fish-paste cakes, simmered in a light broth with chunks of daikon and drenched in a thick, sweet and gently spicy red sauce. Stalls in Ximending and at Ningxia night market ladle it into paper bowls with toothpicks for spearing, and it is a cheap, warming snack on a rainy Taipei evening. This version makes the fish cakes from scratch. Contains fish, egg and soy. Chef's tip: squeeze the fish paste through your fist and scrape it off with a wet spoon; wet hands and tools stop it sticking and give smooth cakes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish cakes
- 14 oz white fish fillet (cod, pollock or hake)skinned, boned and chilled
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
For the broth
- 10 ½ oz daikon radishpeeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
- 3 ¼ cups light fish or vegetable stock
For the sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ¾ cup water
To serve
- 1 garlic clove (optional)grated, stirred into the sauce
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 10 ½ oz daikon radish in 3 ¼ cups light fish or vegetable stock for 20 minutes, until tender and translucent.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile, blend 14 oz white fish fillet (cod, pollock or hake), 2 ⅛ oz sweet potato starch or cornflour, 1 egg white, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt to a smooth, sticky paste. Wet your hands and shape into small flat ovals and fingers, about 1 cm thick.
12 minStep 3: Pour 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pan so it comes no more than a third of the way up the sides, and heat it to 350°F. Check with a thermometer, or drop in a cube of bread: it should turn golden in about 65 seconds. Never leave the hot oil unattended.
5 minStep 4: Fry the fish cakes in batches for 3–4 minutes, until puffed, golden and firm right through, with white, opaque flesh inside. Drain on paper. Common mistake: frying too hot; they brown fast and stay raw and pasty in the middle.
10 minStep 5: Whisk 3 tbsp thick soy paste (soy sauce paste), 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp chilli sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rice flour and ¾ cup water in a small pan and simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes until thick and glossy. Stir in 1 garlic clove, if using.
4 minStep 6: Drop the fish cakes into the daikon broth and simmer for 3 minutes to plump them up. Lift fish cakes and daikon into bowls, spoon over the sweet chilli sauce and serve with toothpicks.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tian bu la take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of sweet potato starch or cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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