Sri Lankan Rolls

When you go to Sri Lanka, you will find fish rolls everywhere. It's a tea time snack loved by every Sri Lankan. I miss them so much that I make them whenever I feel like having it. It is a deep fried snack with a crepe stuffed with a spicy fish filling or any chicken filling and coated with breadcrumbs. I love fish rolls made fresh and hot. This is how I make them without making them rupture. If you are a beginner to this, I warn you making these can be time consuming.

Ingredients

For the fish filling

200g canned Tuna/ Salmon or any boiled fish

1 tsp  freshly crushed garlic
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp Chillie powder (adjust as per spicy requirements)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp pepper powder

100g boiled potatoes
2 small green Chillies (finely, chopped)
1 medium sized onion (finely, chopped)
1 small tomato (finely, chopped)
3 tbsp sunflower oil/ vegetable oil 
a small piece of cinnamon stick (optional)
Salt (as per taste)

For the pancake batter

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 1/4 cups of water (add more if the batter is too thick)

For the coating

3 eggs slightly beaten

2 cups of breadcrumbs

Other

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions

Make the filling

1. Boil the potatoes, mash them and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in pan over medium to high heat. When it is hot add the cinnamon stick, cloves, garlic, onions, green chilies and saute them for a minute.
3. Add in the turmeric powder, cumin powder, chilli powder and saute.
4. In few seconds add the tomatoes and saute until tomatoes becomes mushy. 
5. Next mix the fish along with salt and pepper. Let the fish fry for a minute in high heat. Keep mixing. 
6. Finally add the mashed the potatoes and mix well. Turn off  heat and transfer to a dish. Your filling is now ready. Let it  cool completely.
7. Then make shapes as in the picture and keep aside. (This makes it easy to place the filling in the rolls)

Make the pancake batter

In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients and make smooth batter using a hand whisker. It should not be runny or thick. (Do not blend the batter in the blender)

Make the Rolls

1. Heat a crepe pan and slightly wipe it with little oil. 
2. Pour 1/4 cups of the pancake batter on to the heated pan. (I often use a non-stick hopper pan to make the pancakes)
3. Once one side is cooked, slide the crepe on to a plate and fold both sides and roll tightly to form a neat shape. (Rolling tightly is the key to crack free rolls. Do not keep any gaps for air)
4. Apply some pancake batter on the edges to seal it well. Make all the rolls and refrigerate  for 30 minutes. This helps the rolls to set. 
5. Now coat each roll with beaten eggs and then breadcrumbs respectively. Repeat with every roll. 
6. Now heat oil in medium heat and when it is hot enough deep fry the rolls in medium flame. When the heat is high, the rolls would rupture so always watch out the heat. 
7. When the rolls are golden in colour, take the rolls out of oil in to paper towels as it will continue to fry even once taken out. Enjoy!

Notes:

You can freeze rolls up to a month. After coating with breadcrumbs, place them in an airtight plastic container neatly and fill it with breadcrumbs. Freeze well up to once month. Once thawed do not freeze again. When you want to have them in the evening, take it out of the freezer in the morning to thaw.