This is a very elegant soup, often served in Kaiseki ryōri (traditional Japanese multi-course haute cuisine). It might look technically difficult, but actually it is quite easy to make. Shrimp Balls (Ebi-shinjo) are made of fresh prawns/shrimp and fish cakes with seasonings. They are simply boiled and served in Clear Soup.
Serving Shrimp Balls in Clear Soup is a great way to show off your Japanese cooking skills to your guests. Light and delicate flavour, impressive presentation – what more would you need? And it’s quick to make.
In Japanese food, balls made from white-fleshed fish or shellfish like prawns or crabs are called “shinjo” (しんょ) or “shinjō” (しんょう). Grated Japanese mountain yam, a little sake, salt, and sometimes egg white and/or corn flour are added to hold the ingredients together to make real shinjo.
Regardless of the type of fish/shellfish used to make the balls, they are generically called ‘shinjo’. Shinjo made with prawns or shrimp, like in today’s recipe, is called “ebi-shinjo,” which means “prawn-shinjo” or “shrimp-shinjo,” since “ebi” means “prawn” or “shrimp.”
The cooking method can also vary. I cooked the shinjo in the easiest way, that is, simply to boil it. But you can deep fry, steam, pan fry, grill, etc. and they are all called shinjo.
Shrimp balls are a wonderful addition to soups, adding flavor, texture, and nutrition. They are easy to make at home with simple ingredients. In this article, I’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to make perfect shrimp balls for soup.
An Overview of Shrimp Balls
Shrimp balls, also called shrimp meatballs or fish balls, are made from ground shrimp mixed with binders and seasoning. They can be round or oval shaped When added to soup, the shrimp balls soak up the flavors of the broth and add extra protein The textures contrast nicely with noodles, vegetables, and other ingredients.
Shrimp balls are especially common in Asian cuisines but work with all kinds of soups. You’ll find them in wonton soup ramen pho, seafood stew, and more. They are also delicious on their own as an appetizer or snack.
The ingredients for shrimp balls typically include
- Shrimp – minced or ground into a paste
- Egg whites – helps bind the mixture
- Starch – cornstarch, potato starch, or flour
- Aromatics – ginger, garlic, green onion, cilantro
- Seasonings – salt, white pepper, sesame oil
The shrimp can be chopped finely by hand or pulsed in a food processor. For the smoothest texture, many recipes use a combination of methods.
Below are some tips for making the perfect shrimp balls:
- Chill the mixture before forming balls so they hold their shape better.
- Wet your hands before rolling to prevent sticking.
- Roll balls in cornstarch after forming for a nice exterior.
- Don’t overmix the ingredients or the texture will be dense and rubbery.
- Cook the balls thoroughly until opaque throughout.
Now let’s get into the step-by-step method!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Shrimp Balls
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 green onion, minced
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Chicken or seafood stock for soup
Directions
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Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. If using large shrimp, cut into smaller pieces first.
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In a food processor, pulse the shrimp until they are finely minced but not completely smooth. You still want a little texture.
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Transfer shrimp to a mixing bowl. Add the egg whites, cornstarch, ginger, green onion, salt, and white pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
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Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This allows the cornstarch to absorb moisture and helps firm up the texture.
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Line a tray with parchment paper. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of the shrimp mixture and shape it into a ball between your hands. Place on the prepared tray.
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Wet your hands periodically to prevent sticking. Roll each ball in a little cornstarch after forming. Continue until all the mixture is used up. You should have around 18-20 balls.
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In a skillet, heat 1-2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F. Carefully add the shrimp balls in batches and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on all sides.
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Remove the fried shrimp balls to a paper towel-lined plate. Allow oil to reheat between batches.
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To serve, bring your choice of soup or broth to a simmer. Gently add the shrimp balls and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
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Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra green onion, cilantro, or chili oil if desired. Enjoy!
The shrimp balls can be made ahead and stored chilled for 2-3 days. Reheat by steaming or simmering in broth before serving.
Variations
There are many ways to adapt shrimp balls to suit your tastes:
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Use different herbs and spices in the mixture like lemongrass, lime zest, red chili flakes, cilantro, or basil.
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For extra flavor, marinate the shrimp in soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine before grinding.
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Substitute the cornstarch with tapioca starch, potato starch, or tapioca flour.
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Add minced water chestnuts or bamboo shoots for crunch.
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Use chopped shrimp instead of ground for a chunkier texture.
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For a lighter version, steam or poach the balls instead of frying.
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Shape into smaller balls to add to wonton soup recipes.
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Glaze steamed shrimp balls with teriyaki, sweet chili sauce, or hoisin sauce.
The options are endless when making shrimp balls! Part of the fun is experimenting with different recipes.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some tasty soup recipes and serving ideas for shrimp balls:
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Ramen – Top piping hot broth with shrimp balls, noodles, mushrooms, green onions, and a soft boiled egg.
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Wonton soup – Add to broth with wontons, bok choy, and garnish with cilantro.
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Hot and sour soup – The shrimp balls provide nice contrast to the spicy, tangy broth and tofu.
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Miso soup – For a light Japanese-inspired soup, simmer balls in dashi with miso paste, tofu, and wakame seaweed.
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Thai coconut soup – Infuse coconut milk broth with lemongrass, shrimp balls, rice noodles, and lime.
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Seafood stew – Braise shrimp balls in tomato broth with mussels, clams, potatoes, and saffron.
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Snack – Serve crispy fried shrimp balls with a sweet chili or sriracha mayo dipping sauce.
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Appetizer – Skewer shrimp balls and water chestnuts on toothpicks for an easy party appetizer.
There are so many possibilities for using shrimp balls creatively in your cooking. They are sure to elevate any soup recipe!
Tips for Adding Shrimp Balls to Soup
Here are some helpful tips when incorporating shrimp balls into your favorite soups:
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Add shrimp balls at the end of cooking so they don’t get overdone. Just let them simmer 1-2 minutes to heat through.
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For wonton or ramen soup, boil the noodles and broth separately then combine everything at the end. This prevents the noodles from getting mushy.
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Be gentle when stirring and ladling soup with shrimp balls so they don’t break apart.
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If shrimp balls are too dense or chewy, try microwaving 20-30 seconds before adding to soup to precook slightly.
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For maximum flavor, make the broth first then chill overnight. Skim the fat off the top before reheating and adding shrimp balls.
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If the balls start dissolving into the broth, they likely need a higher starch content. Increase the cornstarch or use potato or tapioca starch instead.
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Let broth come to a simmer before adding shrimp balls so they cook evenly. Don’t add to boiling broth or it may toughen the protein.
With a little trial and error, you’ll master the method for perfectly cooked shrimp balls in soup. The results are well worth the effort!
Troubleshooting Shrimp Balls
Sometimes shrimp balls don’t turn out exactly as planned. Here are some common issues and how to prevent them:
Problem: Balls won’t hold their shape.
Solution: Use chilled shrimp mixture. Make sure to include enough egg white and starch to bind properly. Don’t overmix.
Problem: Texture is too dense and rubbery.
Solution: Be gentle when mixing ingredients. Don’t overprocess the shrimp. Add more egg white if needed.
Problem: Shrimp balls are falling apart in the soup.
Solution: You may need more cornstarch or other starch to hold them together. Make sure balls are cooked through before adding to broth.
Problem: The outside is mushy with a raw center.
Solution: Fry, steam, or simmer the balls thoroughly at a steady temperature until opaque throughout. Turn frequently.
Problem: Shrimp balls have a floury taste.
Solution: Use cornstarch instead of flour. Limit to 1-2 tablespoons total per recipe.
With some adjustments, your shrimp balls will soon be perfection. Don’t give up if the first try doesn’t work out. Practice makes perfect!
Texture of Shrimp Balls
A lot of Ebi-shinjo is very smooth, but some still has small bits of prawn in the ball to give it a bit of a prawn texture.
I tried both textures. I used a food processor to make smooth Ebi-shinjo. Mix all the ingredients in the food processor and make shrimp paste.
The other shinjo texture does not require a food processor. All you need is a cooking knife and a cutting board. Dice the prawns into small pieces and spread the prawn pieces thinly on the cutting board.
Move the knife slowly from one end of the mince to the other, starting at one end and cutting it into small pieces. Then do the same perpendicular to the first direction. You should get a pretty pasty mince with tiny pieces of prawns. Mix the prawn paste with the other ingredients.
I used the latter method today and I like the idea of leaving a bit of prawn texture. In either method, the paste becomes quite sticky. Wet your hands when making a ball.
Shrimp Balls (Ebi-shinjo) Ingredients
They are made with prawns, a fish cake called “hanpen,” some sake, ginger, salt, and corn flour. Since I couldn’t find mountain yam in Sydney, I used hanpen fish cake instead. Hanpen is made of fish paste and Japanese mountain yam, so it was a good swap.
If hanpen is not easy to find, you can make Ebi-shinjo without it. I included in the recipe instructions how to make Shrimp Balls without hanpen.
Hanpen looks like the photo below. You can buy it frozen at Japanese grocery stores.
The texture of hanpen is spongy when defrosted and it is almost like hard soufflé. As one of the ingredients in Oden (Simmered One Pot Dish), hanpen is often used in Japan, but mine did not have it.
When I stay at my sister’s place in Tokyo, she sometimes serves me grilled hanpen. Just grill it, cut into quarters, then eat with a bit of soy sauce. Simple but delicious.
Chinese Shrimp Ball Soup Recipe
FAQ
How to make shrimp bait balls?
Can you put frozen shrimp directly into soup?
How do you make Shrimp balls?
Make shrimp balls: You can make shrimp balls using whole shrimp or ground shrimp. Ground shrimp will give you the perfect ball, while whole shrimp will curl into a ball shape when cooked. Noodle Serving Technique: To prevent the glass noodles from clumping together and becoming mushy, it’s best to cook them just before serving the soup.
What soup should I make for Shrimp balls?
To show off the beautiful colours of the Shrimp Balls, the soup must be a clear soup. Japanese clear soup is called ‘osuimono’ (お吸い物). It is a very simple soup made from good dashi stock, light soy sauce, sake and salt. It is meant to highlight the flavour of dashi stock and the ingredients in the soup.
How do you cook Shrimp balls in a crock pot?
Boil a pot of water and then turn the heat down to the lowest setting because we are ‘poaching’ the shrimp balls and not boiling them. Transfer the shrimp balls from the water bath into the pot and let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and drain the shrimp balls for later use.
How do you cook shrimp noodle soup?
Mix cornstarch, wheat flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Then dip the peeled and deveined shrimp. 5. Carefully drop the dipped shrimp into the simmering vegetable stock. Allow the glass noodles to cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until they coil into a ball-like shape and rise to the surface. 6.