Fish Meatballs with Rice
Tender pollock meatballs steamed and served with rice and grated carrot. Suitable for a baby from 11 months.
- Time
- 35 min
- Serving
- 237 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $0.80
- Protein
- 15 g
Ingredients
- 1 Pollock filletpack 600 g ≈ $5.50 60 g
- 2 Long-grain ricepack 800 g ≈ $1.96 30 g
- 3 Carrots≈ $1.50 per kg 30 g
- 4 Eggspack 10 pcs ≈ $1.89 0.3 pcs
- 5 White breadpack 350 g ≈ $1.41 10 g
- 6 Butterpack 180 g ≈ $1.60 4 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Prepare the fish: skin and bone the fish, rinse, pat dry, and cut into pieces about 3 cm; soak the bread in water until soft; set a steamer basket over a pot, bring the water to a gentle boil and heat to 100°C.
Mix the fish, soaked bread and egg until smooth; season with salt to taste; shape meatballs about 3 cm in diameter.
Steam the meatballs: place them in the steamer, cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until fully cooked; the meatballs should be firm to the touch and not translucent inside.
Prepare the rice: rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear; peel and grate the carrot3 on a fine grater.
Cook the rice with carrot3: in a pot with capacity of at least 2 liters, bring water to a boil, add the rice and the grated carrot, season lightly; simmer on medium heat with the lid on for 15–20 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender; remove from heat, add a little butter6 and stir.
Serve: arrange the meatballs on a plate with a portion of rice, drizzle with a little oil from the rice; serve, and optionally garnish with herbs; if desired, substitute the rice with another grain without added salt; the dish can be prepared in advance without adding salt during preparation.
Tips
- Why it works
- Pat the fish dry to prevent steam from turning meatballs rubbery; wet fish releases moisture during cooking. Use a gentle boil to avoid toughening the texture from high heat.
- Substitutions
- Replace pollock with cod (same amount) or swap rice for quinoa (30g) if you prefer a nuttier taste. Use whole wheat bread (10g) for extra fiber.
- Common mistakes
- Overcooking makes meatballs dry and crumbly. Check by pressing gently; they should spring back, not feel mushy or translucent inside.
- Storing and reheating
- Store in an airtight container for 2 days; reheat in a steamer for 5 minutes or microwave for 1 minute with a damp cloth. Freeze meatballs only without rice.
- Serve with
- Pair with a side of cucumber sticks and a dollop of plain yogurt for a cool contrast, or serve with a simple tomato sauce for extra flavor.
In short
- A child's portion for ages 1–3; suitable from 11 months. For younger kids, halve it and purée.
Comments 0
Sign in to leave a comment.
No comments yet.