Streetfood Hack: Manong Fish Ball's Famous Sauce

When I was young, I have a very sensitive tummy. As much as I want to eat lots of street food, I was always the type who would be sent to the doctors the next day for eating isaw, fish balls, squid balls, dirty ice cream, barbecue, halo-halo or ice scramble from your nearest carinderia or "tulak-tulak".

Back then, I just wanted to hack their recipe for the sauce or the marinade. For years, I was able to make the barbecue marinade, the "dirty" mami, dinuguan, and all those yummy food that I so wanted to eat, but doesn't have the stomach to endure them. I mean, they're not that bad and all, it's just that I have the most sensitive stomach growing up. Though I'm still not sure if it was really the street dirt that has always got me sick then, or if it's really that sensitive tummy that has always been the culprit.

Years later, my tummy toughened up and there's this missing piece in my collection of street food hacks--manong fish ball's sauce. So much trial and error, but I just seem to get it right. Until now. I stumbled upon a recipe online. I tried it at first but it was not as good as manong's. A couple of tries and some tweaks later, I was finally able to get it right! And now, I am happy to share to you my "lamon triumph". Haha!

So without further ado, here is my food hack of manong fish ball's sauce recipe.

Ingredients:

4 cups water
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tbsp white vinegar
7 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp patis
1 medium sized onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red chili or siling labuyo, finely chopped (you can add more if you want OR skip it, if you have kids who would eat them)
salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste

Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients, except onion, garlic, chili, salt, pepper and chili powder, in a saucepan. Mix them together until everything is dissolved BEFORE you start cooking it.
2. Once dissolved, place the mixture on medium heat until it boils.
3. Add garlic, onion and chopped red chili and stir the mixture until it thickens.
4. Once you reach the desired consistency of the sauce, add salt, pepper and chili powder to taste. Place heat on low. Bring to a boil.
5. Enjoy with kikiam, fish balls, chicken balls or squid balls.

My daughter has never had street food ever, but she loved it so much, I am cooking this once more this weekend for the whole fam.

I hope you guys enjoy this as much as we did. :)