🍛 Why is Hong Kong's curry fish balls sweet? Hong Kong street food secrets revealed!

Hello everyone~ Today I want to talk to you about the heart of Hong Kong street food— curry fish balls ! 🍢
Walking through Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, or any street food stall, the aroma of curry tells you fish balls are waiting for you. However, observant readers may notice that the gravy of Hong Kong fish balls is sweeter , quite different from the spicy and rich curries of India, Malaysia, or Thailand. What explains this difference? Let's take a closer look!

📖 The origin of curry fish balls

1. The King of Street Food

Curry fish balls originated in Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, in order to make the fish balls more flavorful, hawkers used curry sauce to stew them, and it unexpectedly became very popular. 😋

2. The development of Hong Kong-style curry

Hong Kong curry doesn't originate from a single region, but rather draws influences from India, Malaysia, and British colonial cuisine , then undergoes local adaptations. The result is a "Hong Kong-style curry" that's typically sweet, slightly spicy, and spiced.

🍯 Why is Hong Kong-style curry fish balls sweet?

1. Cater to the public taste

Hong Kong people generally cannot tolerate excessive spiciness. To cater to the majority of locals, stall owners reduce the spiciness and add sugar or sweet seasonings to make curry more palatable. 👨👩👧👦

2. Influence of the British colonial era

When British people eat curry, they usually add evaporated milk or sugar to make the taste milder. After this method was introduced to Hong Kong, it gradually became the characteristic of "Hong Kong-style curry". 🇬🇧

3. Hawker Economy Considerations

Curry fish balls need to be braised for a long time. The sweetness and saltiness help the fish balls absorb the flavor more easily and also mask the fishy flavor that may not be too strong. This way, even if you use cheap fish balls, the taste will be more pleasing. 💰

4. Match with street environment

Hong Kong street food emphasizes "eating on the go." If the curry is too spicy, it will make you sweat or feel uncomfortable, ruining the experience. A sweet and slightly spicy curry is perfect for eating on the go, and it's also suitable for children. 🚶♀️🍢

5. Hong Kong's Sweet Food Culture

Sweetness often plays a role in Hong Kong people's diet, such as sweet soy sauce noodles and honey-glazed barbecued pork. Curry fish balls are sweet, which actually continues the Hong Kong characteristic of "sweet with salty" flavor. 🍯

🍢 Hong Kong style curry fish balls characteristics

smell

• Sweet, low to medium spiciness
• With the aroma of spices such as turmeric and cumin
• The curry sauce is thick and covers the surface of the fish balls.

Taste

• Fish balls are chewy and refreshing
• The outer layer is braised until golden brown, and the inside retains the fishy texture

Color

• Golden and bright, it looks so attractive👀

🌍 Hong Kong-style curry vs. foreign curry

Indian curry

• Complex spices and strong flavors
• High spiciness
• Less sweet

Thai curry

• Use coconut milk, the taste is rich and spicy 🌶️🥥
• Strong sour and spicy taste

Malaysian curry

• Spicy and fragrant, add coconut milk and spices
• Often served with rice or noodles

Hong Kong-style curry

• Clearly sweet, low spiciness
• Good for street food
• Closer to Hong Kong people's "easy-to-eat" food culture

🤔 What do you think?

The editor feels that Hong Kong curry fish balls are sweeter, not just a matter of taste, but also a "cultural choice".
Hong Kong people live a fast-paced life, and street food is about convenience, ease, and accessibility. The slightly sweet curry makes fish balls more accessible, allowing adults and children alike to enjoy them. 💛

🎉 Editor’s Summary

The reasons why Hong Kong curry fish balls are sweet can be summarized as follows:

• Cater to the public taste and reduce the spiciness
• Influenced by the British colonial era, preference for mild curry
• Considering the economics of hawkers, improving the flavor of fish balls
• Street food culture needs to be “easy to eat”
• Hong Kong-style eating habits, prefer salty with sweet

👉 Next time you eat curry fish balls, take a closer look: that hint of sweetness is actually the flavor of Hong Kong's unique street culture! 🍢🍛