Fish sauce fish sauce as a base. The Indonesian semi-solid fish paste or fermented krill "terasi", the Cambodian "prahok" and the Malay fermented krill brick "belacan" or budu from liquid anchovies are other popular variations of fish sauces. In Lao/Isan, it is called "nam pa". A chunkier, more aromatic version known as "padaek" is also used. The similar Philippine version common to Indochina is called "patis". "Patis", a by-product of "bagoong", is nearly always cooked prior to consumption, even when used as an accent to salads or other raw dishes. Patis is also used as an ingredient in cooked dishes, including a
Fish ball cuttlefish balls (墨魚丸). Readily available in traditional markets and supermarkets, fish balls are also a popular ingredient for hot pot. White fish balls from traditional fish ball restaurants are made from fresh fish and are normally hand-made (手打) by the owners using traditional techniques. The big golden fish ball is a snack in Cheung Chau. Distinguishing features include size, sauce and texture. They can be fist-sized and are served with a special curry sauce, and are mainly made from fresh fish which makes the texture more smooth. The basic ingredients are fish, flour and flavourings such as salt and sugar,