Deep-Fried Cuttlefish Balls
Ingredients
90 g/3 oz very tiny bread cubes
500 g/1 lb fresh cuttlefish or squid, cleaned
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
peanut oil for deep frying
Directions
To prepare the bread cubes, cut very thin slices (about 5 mm/1/4 in thick) of day-old bread. Trim off crusts and cut the bread into thin strips, then into tiny dice.
Wash cuttlefish well, removing any of the fine membrane that may still be clinging to the flesh. Chop cuttlefish finely or mince in a food processor using steel chopping blade. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the salt, sugar and sesame oil. Take teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small balls about 2.5 cm (1 in) across. Spread diced bread on a sheet of paper and roll the cuttlefish balls in them until they are covered.
Heat oil and deep fry the balls, a few at a time, until golden. Do not overcook. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)