Fried Cuttlefish Balls (炸墨鱼丸)

Don’t you just love eating foods that remind you of your childhood, or when you were younger? Foods that practically transport you to a different era when things were a lot less complicated and life were much simpler, and perhaps happier?

I am a junk food junkie and I love all sorts of snacks, especially if they are in skewers.

Fried cuttlefish ball is one of them—sold by street vendors, roadside stalls or the food court at the basement level of shopping centers (in Asia).

They are nice little treats, ones that I particularly enjoyed eating, especially when they are dipped in a spicy condiment such as Lingham’s hot sauce…

The timing of this snack couldn’t be any better (or more nostalgic) as I found some cuttlefish balls made in Malaysia while food shopping this past weekend. It’s not easy to find Malaysian food products here in the United States so I was especially psyched to test the goods.

The brand is BEST (极佳) and they have a whole lineup of fish products—springy fish paste, fish balls, fish tofu, and cuttlefish balls. It’s the taste of home and the cuttlefish balls are loaded with real and shredded pieces of cuttlefish.

I fried up these cuttlefish balls with my deep-fryer, poured some Lingham’s hot sauce over them, and then I turned on my TV and watched a DVD movie. Life is— again—simpler, happier, and tastier.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 25 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Chinese Fried Rice

Baby Bok Choy with Shrimp

Bak Kut Teh

Braised Pork Belly in Soy Sauce

Yield: 4 people

Fried Cuttlefish Balls (炸墨鱼丸)

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Fried Cuttlefish Balls (炸墨鱼丸): —They are nice little treats, ones that I particularly enjoyed eating, especially when they are dipped in a spicy condiment such as Lingham’s hot sauce.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 cuttlefish balls
• Oil for deep-frying
• Chili sauce

Instructions

1. Defrost the cuttlefish balls. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Heat up a wok with oil for deep-frying, or heat up a deep-fryer. Deep-fry the cuttlefish balls until they turn golden brown. Transfer the cuttlefish balls out with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil with paper towels.
3. Skewer three cuttlefish balls into one bamboo skewer and drizzle each skewer with chili sauce.
4. Serve immediately.

Notes

Most frozen cuttlefish balls in the Asian markets here in the United States are loaded with flour and lack texture, and once fried, they expand to almost 1.5 times the original size. I find the BEST brand cuttlefish balls springy and QQ.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

4 people
Amount Per Serving Calories 25Unsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 3mgSodium 11mg