Fish Rolls Recipe

Fish recipes cannot get easier, yummier, and healthier! There are so many fish varieties that you can cook in plenty of ways. These Fish Rolls are a delicious pastry snack filled with the best filling.

Perfectly seasoned fish and buttery pastry dough have never tasted better together! Bite into the roll and relish the great stuffing that awaits! 

What is fish? Fish Roll is an African recipe and popular snack in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and beyond. Fish roll is a delicious, flaky snack made with a buttery pastry filled with well-seasoned fish.

How to Make Fish Rolls

Did you know that this is a two-in-one recipe? Not only will you discover how to make fish rolls, but you will also learn how to make the dough and prepare sumptuous fish. The filling will be a surprise that everyone will love! 

Ingredients for Making Fish Rolls

Mackerel

Mackerel is one of the best fishes because it’s affordable, available, and meaty. It even has a natural flavor of its own. This fish is also easy to season, debone, and separate. 

It’s used in baking, grilling, and pan-frying; now, you can use it to make fish rolls! You can also use mackerel for Moi Moi, Egusi Soup, and Egg Omelet Toast.

Onion

Aside from the mackerel, onions will also be used for the stuffing. They have a naturally intense, sweet flavor that pairs well with the fish. You can even smell its fragrant aroma once you expose the fish roll’s filling! 

Seasoning 

To enhance the fish filling, you only need to use salt, chili powder, mixed herbs, ginger powder, curry powder, stock cube, and mixed herbs. Trust me; these spices will amplify the strong taste of the stuffing. 

All-purpose flour

All-purpose flour is an essential ingredient because it will allow you to form the actual fish roll. Its elastic quality will make it easier for you to assemble and fry the food.

Melted butter

Melted butter will help you achieve a crunchy and tasteful crush for the rolls. It makes the food chewier by making the crust extra flaky. 

Sugar

This condiment is needed to strengthen the dough’s gluten network for flexibility. Sugar also reacts with the all-purpose flour to make the rolls extra tender. 

Water

To activate the ingredients, use water. It effectively combines the ingredients and distributes the properties of flaky dough. 

Sunflower oil

Fry the fish rolls in sunflower oil to utilize the oil’s high smoke point. It will also help retain the nutrients of the ingredients.  

So, which part are you most excited about? The great thing about this recipe is that every step is fun! Making dough, cooking stuffing, frying, and most especially, eating the fish rolls!

Directions for Making Fish Rolls

Mackerel

1. Clean and slice the mackerel into quarters with a knife.
2. Arrange them in a pot with enough water to submerge the fish.
3. Season it with salt and crushed knorr cube. 
4. Let it cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Then, set it aside.
5. Once cooled, debone and break it apart into chunks. 

Dough

1. Put the plain flour, sugar, sea salt, nutmeg, and melted butter in a bowl.
2. Use the dough hook of the mixer to combine the ingredients until crumbly.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as it mixes. 
4. Gradually add water. Continue mixing until the batter becomes dough.
5. Cover and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes. 

Filling

1. Dice a medium-sized onion with a knife.
2. In a pan, sautee the onion and season with curry powder, mixed herbs, red chili powder, knorr cube, sea salt, and ginger powder over medium heat for a minute.
3. Add the mackerel chunks until well incorporated. Set the stuffing aside.

Fish rolls

1. Place the dough on top of a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin.
2. Divide it into ten equal parts using a dough cutter.
3. Mold each dough into a ball. You can prepare the rolls in two ways:

Method One

Press the dough with your hand and roll it out with a rolling pin as thinly as possible. Add a spoonful of the fish filling at the end and roll it, starting with the end with the stuffing. Press both open ends as you roll the dough. 

Method Two

Roll out the dough as thinly as possible. Add mackerel close to the edge. Dampen the edges with some water. Fold the flattened dough to form an envelope. Press the edges firmly to seal. 

Time to fry!

1. Place a pan on medium heat and pour the cooking oil.
2. Lower the fish roll in the oil.
3. Keep turning the fish roll with a slotted turner so it cooks well on the inside and all over.
4. Once cooked, transfer them to a plate lined with a kitchen towel to get rid of excess oil. 

There is nothing more to ask for when you have the crunchy goodness of dough and the luscious flavor and aroma of the mackerel filling! These fish rolls will indeed be devoured in record time! 

Tips for Making Fish Rolls

How to purchase and store mackerel 

Selection. According to Fish for Thought, whole fresh fish should have clear and bulged eyes. There should still be scales, and the skin should be moist and slippery. The fish should also smell like the sea. 

Storage. Rinse and pat the fish dry before wrapping it in cling film. Put ice cubes in a large container and place the fish on top. Use refrigerated fish within two days. You can also freeze it in freezer bags for up to two weeks. 

How to knead without a mixer

Kneading is necessary to form the dough; if you don’t have a mixer, you can always use elbow grease! Always start with clean hands and a sanitized surface.

1. Lightly flour a flat space.
2. Use the heel of your hand to push it outward.
3. Then, fold the dough in half by pushing one side inward.
4. Rotate the dough as you repeat this process.
5. Continue doing this until the dough is ready. 

With your finger, apply slight pressure on the dough; if it bounces back immediately, you can set it aside to proof. 

The dough can be refrigerated by wrapping it in cling film and placing it in resealable bags. Make sure to use it within 2 days. To freeze, enclose it in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag to last up to several weeks. 

Alternative ways to cook fish rolls

Aside from deep-frying fish rolls, you can also cook them in the air fryer or the oven. 

Air Fryer

First, preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350º F) for 5 minutes. After that, arrange the rolls in the lined air fryer basket and cook for 13 minutes at 180°C. Rotate the fish roll in the 7th minute. Air fry the rolls in batches. 

Oven

Preheat the oven to 95°C for 10 minutes. Grease the baking tray and place the fish rolls on the tray. Let the rolls bake for 20 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar. Flip them over at the 10th minute. 

Variations

This recipe is very customizable, from the filling to the wrapper. For example, you can use cooked hotdog, beef, or chicken instead of fish. You can season it however you prefer. Vegetables such as carrots, celery, parsley, and more!

For other fish options, you make the stuffing with Cameroon, sea bass, cod, icefish, milkfish, and different fish varieties.

Recommended Tools for Making Fish Rolls

• Stand mixer: Make the dough with the mixer.
• Frying pan: Deep fry the fish rolls in a pan.
• Rolling pin: Flatten and expand the dough with a rolling pin. 
• Dough cutter: Divide the dough using a cutter. 
• Slotted turner: Toss the rolls in the oil with a slotted turner. 
• Spatula: Mix the ingredients using a spatula. 
• Pot: Boil the mackerel in a pot to pre-cook for the filling. 
• Spoon: Scoop the fish filling with a spoon. 
• Knife: Chop the mackerel using a knife.
• Bowl: Prepare the dough in a bowl.
• Plate: Serve the fish rolls on a lined plate.
• Kitchen towel: Use kitchen towels to absorb the oil from the rolls.

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How to Serve Fish Rolls

Fish rolls pair perfectly with:

• Spaghetti in Chicken Breast
• Jollof Rice
• Mashed Potatoes
• Coleslaw
• Fried Rice
• Ramen Noodle Soup
• Couscous
• Puff Puff
• Fruit Salad

You can also serve it with sauces or dips such as ketchup, soy sauce, tabasco, and other condiments. The great thing about these is that they are easy to eat because of their size.

The dough can also be formed in various shapes and sizes. You can structure it into a dumpling, a ball, or other creative figures you can imagine. 

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Like other perishable food, it is best to consume room temperature fish rolls within 2 hours. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are fish rolls made of?

Fish rolls are made of fish-infused filling wrapped in the flaky and crusty dough for deep frying. It can be made with different kinds of fish and vegetables.

How do you make fish rolls?

The first thing to do is to prepare and cook the fish of your choosing. Then, make the dough until it is ready for molding and frying. Cook the filling by mixing the fish with vegetables and seasoning.

Roll the stuffing in the dough and deep fry until golden brown and crunchy!

How can you store dough wrappers?

If you want to save some dough wrappers for more fish rolls, Healthy Nibbles has a great way of storing the wrappers. Lightly brush the rolled-out dough with potato starch. 

Then, stack them together before placing them in an airtight container. Refrigerate these, use them within two days, and freeze them in freezer bags for up to several weeks. 

Can you store cooked fish?

Of course! According to Still Tasty, cooked fish can be stored in airtight containers or resealable bags within three days. It can also be frozen for several weeks. Thaw the frozen cooked fish in the fridge or over a container of warm water.