Name: Fish balls (Kefta de poisson)
Yield: Serves 8 (about 40 fish balls)
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) whiting fillets, roughly chopped; 1 tsp harissa; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 2–3 slices stale bread, soaked in water, then patted dry and broken up; 2 eggs, beaten; 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped; leaves from a small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped; lemon wedges, to garnish; handful of breadcrumbs (optional); vegetable oil, for deep frying; salt and ground black pepper, to taste; 1 tsp turmeric; small handful dried rose petals (optional)

Preparation info

Serves
8
(about 40 fish balls)

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The North African Kitchen

By Fiona Dunlop

Published 2008

About

Fish balls are one of the most loved traditional starters in Jewish cooking. It is important that the oil is hot enough to crisp the coating immediately, otherwise it seeps inside, with greasy results. When perfect, you get a delicious fishy mouthful, slightly crunchy on the outside and meltingly soft within.

Ingredients

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) whiting fillets, roughly chopped
2

Method

Place the fish, onion, parsley and soaked bread pieces in a bowl, mix and knead together.
Add the eggs, harissa, spices, rose petals (if using), salt and pepper. If the mixture becomes too sloppy, add some dry breadcrumbs.
Make little balls from the mixture, about 3cm (1¼ in) in diameter, rolling them between the wet palms of your hands.
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