Tekwan
In this recipe
About this recipe
Tekwan is Palembang’s comforting fish-ball soup in a savory dried-shrimp (ebi) broth with glass noodles and wood ear mushrooms.
The broth must taste of the sea in a gentle way. Toast and simmer ebi properly—that is the motherly secret behind a good pot.
Small fish balls cook quickly. Keep them delicate and do not overcrowd the simmering liquid.
Prep & cook time
- Prep25 minutes
- Cook30 minutes
- Total55 minutes
- Servings4 servings
- LevelMedium
Tools you need
- Pot
- Mixing bowl
- Ladle
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 300 g fish dough (fish + sago), shaped into small balls
- 1.5 L shrimp or chicken stock
- 30 g dried shrimp (ebi), rinsed and pounded
- 50 g glass noodles (soun), soaked
- 1 cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked and sliced
- Scallions and celery leaves, sliced
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- Fried shallots and lime, for serving
Directions
- Shape small tekwan balls from the fish-sago dough.
- Simmer stock with pounded ebi 15 minutes; season and strain if you want a clearer soup.
- Cook tekwan balls in the broth until they float.
- Add wood ear mushrooms and heat through.
- Place glass noodles in bowls; ladle over broth and tekwan.
- Top with scallions, celery, fried shallots, and lime.
Kitchen tips
- Toast ebi lightly before simmering for deeper aroma.
- Keep fish balls small—bite-size is traditional.
- Add noodles to bowls, not the whole pot, so leftovers stay clear.
- A spoon of sambal on the side wakes the broth.
Serve with
- Warm rice
- Sambal
- Lime
- Kerupuk
How to store
Broth and tekwan keep 2 days refrigerated. Store noodles separately.
Common mistakes
- Weak broth without enough ebi.
- Oversized fish balls that turn dense.
- Leaving soun in the pot until it swells and clouds everything.