Middle Eastern · main
Spicy Fishy Balls
Spicy Fishy Balls reads umami 5.8, citrus 5.1 and sourness 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 1 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 6.3 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.2 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 4.8 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 5.8 · Citrus 5.1 · Sourness 4.5 · Richness 3.9 · Allium 3.9 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Marine & Briny 3.1 · Nutty 3.0 · Sweetness 2.7 · Earthy 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Fruity 1.6 · Salinity 1.3 · Floral 1.0 · Bitterness 0.9 · Heat 0.7
What's in it (15)
- 2 cups cod or another white fish
- 2 small onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 tablespoons bulgur
- 2 teaspoons harissa paste
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tomatoes in cubes (or canned)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- some lemon juice
- pepper and salt
Time & effort: about 1 hr (40 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 72.4 kcal, 7.8 g protein, 1.5 g fat, 8.4 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- In a food processor pulse the fish with 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves until everything is small. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro and 2 tablespoons parsley, the harissa, bulgur, cumin, pepper, salt and 1 tablespoon of the paprika. Mix it together and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.
- Cut the second onion and the two remaining garlic cloves. In a skillet (or tajine) warm some oil and bake the onion and garlic until soft. Add the tomato paste and bake until it starts to smell sweet. Add the tomatoes and the remaining paprika, the bay leaf, pepper and salt. Let this simmer so it can turn into a sauce. (I add more water to the sauce and cooked some broccoli in it but that is only if you like to eat broccoli next to it). If you like spicy, you can add some harissa to the sauce as well.
- Form small balls out of the fish mixture and lay them in the sauce. Bake/ cook them in the sauce on a low fire for about 15 minutes. Turn them only once very carefully because they are quiet delicate. Before serving add a squeeze of lemon juice, the remaining cilantro and parsley.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Mustard Seed Coconut Shrimp Curry — Indian
- Moqueca Baiana — Brazilian
- Sayadieh (Fish with Spiced Rice) — Lebanese
- Coconut Shrimp Curry — Indian
- Bobo de Camarao — Brazilian
Keep reading: what umami, citrus, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.