Fish Ball Stew Recipe
by Maria Bradford
6–8
60 minutes
Ingredients

Fish balls

  • 500g of haddock fillet, or any firm white fish, cut into chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, chopped
  • 1 piece of fresh ginger, about 1/2 a thumb-size, peeled and chopped
  • 4 tsp peanut butter, sugar free, no-salt, smooth
  • 1 fish stock cube, or chicken stock cube, crumbled
  • oil, for deep-frying
  • salt

Stew

  • 120ml of coconut oil, cold-pressed
  • 500g of onion, about 2 large, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chilli sauce, such as Salone Fire Chilli Sauce, or to taste
  • 200g of tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tsp tomato purée, or up to 2 tsp
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
Method
1

For the fish balls, put all the ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely minced

  • 500g of haddock fillet, or any firm white fish, cut into chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, chopped
  • 1 piece of fresh ginger, about 1/2 a thumb-size, peeled and chopped
  • 4 tsp peanut butter, sugar free, no-salt, smooth
  • 1 fish stock cube, or chicken stock cube, crumbled
2

Heat the oil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan no more than half full. Test it’s hot enough by dropping a piece of onion into the oil. If it sizzles, rises to the surface and browns in 30–40 seconds, then the oil is ready

  • oil, for deep-frying
3

Take a walnut-size piece of the mixture and form it into a ball. Using a slotted
spoon, drop it carefully into the hot oil and cook until golden brown. Remove
using a slotted spoon, leave to cool, then taste for seasoning. Add salt as needed to the fish ball mixture and mix well. Using a teaspoon, form the mixture into walnut-size balls. Put the balls on a tray ready to fry

  • salt
4

Carefully fry the balls in batches, ensuring each batch is cooked through and brown (cut one open from each batch to test). Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set aside

5

For the stew, heat the coconut oil in a clean pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cover with a crumpled piece of damp baking paper, ensuring it sits right on the surface of the onions. Cook over gentle heat, checking from time to time, until the onions are well softened and turning golden brown. This process can take up to 1 hour and cannot be rushed as it is the gentle cooking of the onions and the caramelisation that gives this stew its rich and slightly sweet taste

  • 120ml of coconut oil, cold-pressed
  • 500g of onion, about 2 large, finely chopped
6

When the onions are cooked, add the Salone Fire Chilli Sauce, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée (paste), thyme and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes then add the fried fish balls. It’s very important that no liquid is added to the stew

  • 2 tsp chilli sauce, such as Salone Fire Chilli Sauce, or to taste
  • 200g of tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tsp tomato purée, or up to 2 tsp
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
7

Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes, then taste the sauce and season as needed