Walk into any Sri Lankan bakery, and the first thing you will look for inside the glass display is a freshly fried, golden-brown Fish Roll. Sometimes called “Chinese Rolls” (though they are entirely Sri Lankan), these crispy, breaded crêpes filled with a spicy mackerel and potato mixture are a staple for evening tea.
Ingredients
-
For the wrapper: 1 cup flour, 1 egg, 1 cup milk (or water), a pinch of salt.
-
For the filling: 1 tin of Jack Mackerel, 2 boiled potatoes (mashed), chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and black pepper.
-
For the coating: 1 beaten egg, 1 cup breadcrumbs, oil for deep frying.
Method
-
Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the onions, green chilies, and curry leaves. Add the mashed mackerel, potatoes, and spices to create a dry, spicy filling. Let it cool.
-
Whisk the flour, egg, milk, and salt to make a thin crêpe batter. Cook thin crêpes on a flat non-stick pan.
-
Place a spoonful of the filling on the edge of a crêpe, fold the sides in, and roll it up tightly.
-
Dip the rolled crêpe in the beaten egg, coat it generously in breadcrumbs, and deep fry until golden and crispy.
For that extra bakery-style crunch, double-coat your rolls! Dip them in egg and breadcrumbs, and then repeat the process one more time before frying.
