Shrimp balls are the kind of party food that you really want to take home from the party. Succulent, flavorful shrimp inside warm, tender breading is a match made in heaven.
Heat the water until warm (not too hot, just warm). Add the sugar and yeast, and let it rest until foamy (around 10 minutes).
Place the flour in a bowl, and make a hole in the middle. Pour the vegetable oil and yeast mixture into the center. Mix with a wooden spoon until soft. If it’s too sticky, just add a bit more flour.
Once it separates from the sides of the bowl, transfer to a clean working surface and knead for 15 minutes (don’t skip this step because this helps gluten to develop and the bread will be soft and airy).
Sprinkle some more flour into the bowl and place the dough ball inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for around 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Mix all filling ingredients together.
Once the dough is ready, work it a little more with your hands, and form it into a long cylinder. Cut the cylinder into 24 equal pieces.
For each piece: make a ball, and flatten it to form a thin disc.
Place around ½ teaspoon of shrimp filling inside the disc, close it with your hand and shape into a ball. Repeat for each.
Bake in the cake pop maker for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. (You may need to flip them half way through to golden both sides evenly.)
Let cool a couple of minutes before serving. Serve with soy sauce or your favorite Asian sauce.
Notes
You can save time by using 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry, instead of making the dough from scratch. The puff pastry can be cut into 24 equal portions with a pizza cutter.
If you can't find chili garlic sauce, you can replace it with Sriracha or another chili sauce.
Store leftover shrimp balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the microwave or a 350°F oven until warmed through to an internal temperature of 165°F.