Matsu Fish Balls 马祖鱼丸
Matsu Fish Balls is featured among the local specialties of Taiwan.
Matsu Fish Balls (马祖鱼丸) are hand-shaped fish balls from Matsu (馬祖), linked to the islands’ Fuzhou (福州) food tradition. A 2023 Matsu Daily account describes both filled and unfilled versions, made with local fish and starch.
Fish paste and hand shaping
Fish meat is combined with starch to form a paste, then shaped by hand into balls and boiled in water. Households use different proportions of fish and starch, producing firmer or softer textures. Wrapping the filled version requires additional skill; the unfilled balls are also part of the tradition.
Texture and seasonal fish
The balls are described as springy, with their best texture just after leaving the pot. Common fish choices include mian fish (鮸魚), maja fish (馬加魚) and eel. Matsu Daily associates autumn and winter fish catches with the season for making fish balls in Matsu’s fishing villages.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and fact-checked against them on 2026-09-30. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.
Image credits & notes (1)
- Reference photo of a similar dish · 同类菜品参考照片A similar preparation is pictured; the local version may differ. 同类菜品参考照片，当地做法可能不同。Photo: Alpha · CC BY-SA 2.0Resized for the web; the photo itself has not been edited. Thumbnails may show a cropped view.
