Fish Paste (cha ca)

Most Asians normally buy fish paste from the fish mongers because they believe that it is so hard to make it at home. In Vietnam, fish paste can come from any kind of inexpensive fish and still make a wonderful meal for the family in any recipe from deep fry, soups, stuffing, egg rolls, to cabbage rolls. Traditionally, the pestle and mortal is used to make fish paste, but today, with the help of a food processor, making fish paste at home is easy and successful. I live in a suburb far away from an Asian grocery market. Therefore, if I want to have fish paste (cha ca) in my daily diet, the only choice I have is to make it at home. There are many recipes for fish paste out there, but to make it tasty and chewy, it depends on the fish. Only using the firm white fish like tapila, cod or catfish, will get it done properly. The recipe I show here is definitely a keeper.
Ingredients:
3 lbs tapila fillet
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar
3 tbs cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbs water
Black pepper
1 onion cut up
4 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions:
Dry the fish fillets with paper towels and cut into 2-inch chunks.
Mix the fish sauce, salt, sugar, baking powder, water, black pepper and cornstarch.
In a large mixing bowl, combine fish, onion, garlic and the fish sauce mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
Transfer the fish into the food processor and process until it becomes a paste. Transfer fish paste into a bowl and refrigerate again for anther hour. Repeat the same process for a second time. It is done.