Fish rolls

This recipe for fish rolls, a popular Cameroonian specialty, comes from Ashley Vola – owner of a West African eatery, Vola Foods in Brunswick. These spicy fish rolls are filled with seasoned canned sardines and vegetables and are served with a homemade chilli and herb sauce.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

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Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 60 g baby leaf salad mix (with beetroot and carrot)
• coriander sprigs, to serve

Dough

• ½ cup lukewarm water
• 15 g caster sugar
• ½ tsp instant yeast
• 2 cups plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 75 g butter, room temperature

Filling

• 125 g can sardines in oil, drained
• ¼ cup (60 ml) oil
• 10 g finely chopped garlic
• 10 g finely chopped ginger
• 1 carrot, roughly grated
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• salt and black pepper
• ½ brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped celery leaves
• 1 tbsp finely chopped curly parsley
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 habanero, seeds removed
• 1 tbsp finely chopped dill leaves

Sauce

• 10 habanero chillies, roughly chopped
• 1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup sunflower (or olive) oil
• salt and black pepper

Resting time: 45 minutes

Instructions

1. To make the dough for the fish rolls, combine the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast in a mixing jug and whisk well to combine. Set aside at room temperature, until the yeast activates and become frothy.
   
2. While the yeast activates, combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment and mix on low speed to combine. When the yeast mixture is ready, pour it into the dry ingredients with the softened butter and mix on low speed, to form a smooth and soft dough. Knead the dough for 8 minutes, then remove from the mixer, cover and allow to rest for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
   
3. While the dough is resting, make the filling by combining all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and setting aside until needed.
   
4. To make the sauce, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Place all the sauce ingredients into a food processor or blender and process to a thick sauce, then pour into the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is fragrant and slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
   
5. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide into ten equal sized balls, then roll the balls into oval discs, around 3 mm thick. Heat enough oil to deep-fry in a medium saucepan to 180˚C. Place 1 tbsp of the filling onto the narrow edge of the dough discs, then roll to seal. Repeat until all the filling and dough have been used.
   
6. Deep-fry the fish rolls in batches for 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Repeat until all rolls have been fried.
   
7. Serve the fish rolls with mixed salad leaves, coriander sprigs and the sauce on the side.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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