1: Pick out the meat from the back and belly of the herring, remove the big bones and spines, and then peel the skin. Remove the red meat from the skinned meat (it will be fishy) and cut it into pieces.

2: Prepare a cutting board (preferably wooden) and use the back of a knife to knock the fish pieces into a velvety layer on top of the scraper. It’s best not to stick to the board as there may be fish bones on it.

3: Put the velvet into a grinder and add water to make a paste (the amount of water should be controlled carefully, too little, the fish balls will become old, too much, the fish balls will flatten and turn into fish cakes).

4: Pour the paste into a basin, add MSG, wine, egg white, and cornstarch in sequence and stir clockwise (must stir in the same direction) and add the most important salt! Stir vigorously (salt has a kicking effect) and taste to see if it's slightly salty. It’s OK when it feels sticky and strong!

5: Boil water in the pot. Squeeze or dig the prepared batter into the pot with your hands or a spoon. When it boils, skim off the floating residue and the fish balls will float out!