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    Home » African Party Food

    PUBLISHED: May 5, 2017 · UPDATED: Sep 26, 2018 by Precious · This post may contain affiliate links · 66 Comments

    FLAVOURFUL FISH ROLLS - CAMEROONIAN FISH ROLL RECIPE

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    These fish rolls! They are super tasty and slightly addictive. The crust on the outside is crispy and the fish filling is so full of flavour. It is the ultimate Cameroonian fish roll recipe. I never get tired of them. Just like with chin chin, I have have to stop myself from eating too much in order to save my waistline from iniquity.

     

    I first published this recipe in May 2015. Since then, I have tweaked and retested it multiple times. The result is what I can confidently call a no-fail recipe. The dough is elastic and perfect with the right proportion of ingredients. The filling is... well perfect too!

     

    african fish rolls recipe

     

    I have re-shot the recipe including step-by-step photos to show you how to make fish rolls with confidence. If you love videos, then here is a video of me making them!

     

    Watch how to make Cameroonian fish rolls:

     

    "Buy ya fish roll!" is a familiar phrase used by hawkers in Cameroon to attract buyers to purchase the popular snack, fish roll. It is cherished among school-aged kids, workers, the young and the old. People just love it! For some reason, I had never been a fan of Cameroonian fish roll until one day when I stumbled on the fish rolls of the year. Seriously, they were THE FISH ROLLS OF THE YEAR! That's my way of saying they were insanely delicious.

     

    I was at a traditional meeting where folks brought in either food or drink to share with others. There was this particular family that came in with a bowl of fish rolls sent in by their mother who was absent. I reached for one of the rolls and since then, I haven't stopped loving the snack.

    I started experimenting in the kitchen, trying to make some. Sometimes the rolls would unwrap as I fried them. Brrrrrrrrrr! At other times, they would grow so big in the oil. Sometimes, they were just too oily. I used only yeast in the dough, only baking powder then both yeast and baking powder. I finally chose to use only a little baking powder as a raising agent because it worked best for me. The struggle to learn how to make "fishy" has been real. Finally, I have my own recipe which many have used over the years and given me awesome feedback. I have tweaked, retested and perfected it because fish roll is serious business.

    If you have never made fish rolls before, or you have tried to make them unsuccessfully before, prepare to be swoon. This is simply the best Cameroonian fish roll recipe. Well rolled, tasty and perfect! Get your flour, margarine, sardines in oil and all other ingredients (see below) ready. Let's make THE FISH ROLLS OF THE YEAR!

     

    Fish Roll Ingredients

    cameroon fish roll ingredients
    Cameroonian Fish roll ingredients - margarine, sugar and salt are not pictured because well, mommy brain!

    For the dough:
    3 cups of all purpose flour (375 grams)
    4 tablespoons of margarine (or butter at room temp)
    ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
    2 tablespoons of sugar
    A quarter teaspoon of salt (increase if margarine/butter is unsalted)

     

    For the filling:
    I tin of sardine (125 grams)
    Half of each or one small each: red and yellow bell peppers
    Half of a medium onion
    1 medium sized carrot
    Two sprigs of parsley or half a stem of celery
    Two garlic cloves

    You also need 1-2 litres of oil for frying.

    How to make Cameroonian fish roll filling:

    First shred the carrots with a grater then finely chop the onions and garlic. Chop the bell peppers and parsley too.

    ingredients for filling cameroon fish rolls

    Open the tin of sardine and pour two tablespoons of the oil into a pot or skillet. Let it heat up for one minute then you put in the onions and garlic and fry until fragrant. Add in all other vegetables and mix well. Shift them to side of the pot then out in sardines and mash - don't make them too mushy. Mix the fish together with the veggies. Viola, the filling is ready!

    cameroon fish rolls filling

     

     

    For the fish roll dough:

    Add four tablespoons of margarine to your flour.

    add butter cameroon fish rolls

    Add in two table spoons of sugar.

    add sugar cameroon fish rolls dough

    Add in salt and baking powder (see full recipe below for quantities) then mix with fingertips until everything is well-incorporated. Add in a cup of water a little at a time and mix until you form a dough.

    cameroon fish rolls dough

    Now flour a board then place the dough on top and knead for two minutes. This greatly improves the texture of the dough. It gets smoother and more elastic as you knead.

    How to Roll Fish Rolls Perfectly

    First, cut a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll out to form an oval. Place a tablespoon of the filling on top.

    how to roll cameroon fish rolls

    Now fold in the dough from the end here the filling is. Fold in the edges too.

    how to roll cameroon fish rolls 2

    Then roll away, baby!

    roll cameroon fish rolls

    These are my rolls all ready for action, AKA frying. To see more of how I roll them, watch the video.

    cameroon fish rolls ready for frying

    Now it's time to fry! Heat up oil on high heat then turn it down to medium heat and put in the rolls. Be careful not to over crowd your pan.

    cameroon fish rolls frying

    Let each batch cook for about 5-8 minutes. Flip the sides half-way through cooking and as needed. They are ready when they are a beautiful golden brown colour.

    cameroon fish rolls ready

    Place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

    cameroon fish rolls recipe

    Happiness is made of fish rolls. No, I'm not joking!

    best fish rolls recipe

    Let's take a look at that tasty fish filling. Oh mama!

    cameroonian fish rolls best recipe

    Would I be bossy if I said you must make some? Everyone deserves a homemade fish roll experience at least once in their lifetime!

    Here is the printable recipe:

     

    Cameroonian Fish Rolls : The Best Recipe

    This is the ultimate Camerooniuan fish roll recipe. It is crispy on the outside and fish filling is so flavourful. Enjoy the recipe!
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Cameroonian
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Servings: 20 Fish Rolls
    Calories: 110kcal
    Author: Precious

    Ingredients

    For the dough (flour measurement has been updated)

    • 3 cups of all purpose flour 375 grams
    • 4 tablespoons margarine or butter at room temp
    • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt increase as needed if margarine/butter is unsalted
    • 1 cup water - room temperature

    For the filling:

    • 1 can sardines in oil 125 grams
    • 2 small red and yellow bell peppers or half of 1 large green bell pepper also called sweet pepper
    • ½ medium onion
    • 1 medium-sized carrot
    • 2 sprigs of parsley or half stem of celery
    • 2 garlic cloves ground fresh spices will work too
    • Oil for frying

    Instructions

    • Shred the carrots with a grater then finely chop the onion and garlic. Also chop the bell pepper and parsley.
    • Remove two tablespoons of oil from the can of sardines then place in a pot or skillet. Let it heat for 1 minute then saute the onion and garlic until fragrant.
    • Add in the other vegetables and mix then push them to one side of the pan. Drain the remaining sardines from the oil then add to the cleared side of the pan and mash - don't make them too mushy.
    • Mix the fish and veggies together. That's it, your filling is ready.
    • For the dough, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter with finger tips until well incorporated.
    • Add water a little at a time and mix until it forms a dough. Sprinkle flour on a board then place dough ontop and knead for about two minutes until elastic and smooth.
    • Cut a little piece of dough. It should be a little smaller than the size of a golf ball.
    • Roll it out on a floured board to form an oval.
    • Put a tablespoon of the filling at one end of the rolled-out dough then fold the dough over the filling. Fold in the edges too. Roll till the other end. Repeat process with the rest of the dough.
    • To fry, heat oil on high heat till hot for about 5 - 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and put in the rolls to fry. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan! Fry for about 5-8 minutes until nice and golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
    • Enjoy! Fish rolls are great as a snack, for breakfast or as finger food for parties. So delicious!

    Notes

    Instead of a tin of sardine you could use canned mackerel in tomato sauce. In this case, you would need extra oil for frying the onion and garlic.
    You could also use a medium size frozen mackerel fish. Boil it with some seasoning garlic, ginger, salt and Maggi (seasoning cube). When cold, remove all the bones and mash the fish.
    Note that you could omit adding the vegetables if you want the filling to be all fishy. Or you could use far less veggies than I did. I love incorporating veggies into my snacks so I used more.
    Also note that I didn't mention the use of salt in the filling. That's because canned sardines (especially the brand I use) are quite tasty and salty. No need for more salt. But do well to taste your filling to ensure that it is well seasoned. You could also add in some white pepper to the filling if you like. I do this sometimes and it is so good!
    If you put in too much baking powder, your rolls may turn out with big holes. They'll absorb a lot of oil and look rough. So do well to put in only a little baking powder as said in the recipe.
    If you wish, replace water with skim milk for a richer dough but this is not recommended. You could also add an egg for a richer dough. I recently tried this and I was very happy with the results!
    There's a video of me making fish rolls on YouTube. CLICK HERE to watch.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preciouscore or tag #preciouscore!

    Pin it for later:

    best Cameroonian fish rolls recipe and video
    Hope you enjoy this recipe. Try making these rolls of goodness and let me know how that goes for you in the comments section.

    I'll love to have you follow me on : @preciouscore. If you make this recipe please share on Instagram and tag me or share on my Facebook page.

    Ehugs!

    *This post has been updated.pre-signature-pro

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    Sharing is caring!

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    About Precious

    Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous says

      May 06, 2015 at 12:05 pm

      Well done Precious.Very good childhood memory for me.Last time I had fish roll was about 29years after High Sch.I will try this for my sons to enjoy..

      Reply
    2. Precious Nkeih says

      May 06, 2015 at 12:17 pm

      Thanks, my dear. I'm glad I took you down memory lane. Try it. I'm sure they'll love it...

      Reply
    3. Anonymous says

      August 17, 2015 at 4:35 am

      Where I live, we dont get carrots and bell peppers regularly. So i used grated irish potatoes, and some fresh basil, parsley, onion and garlic. It sure worked.

      Reply
    4. Precious Nkeih says

      August 17, 2015 at 4:38 am

      Hello dear, I'm glad you thought out of the box and it worked for you. I should try irish potatoes next time. Thanks for the feedback!!!

      Reply
    5. Angele marie says

      February 04, 2016 at 2:20 pm

      Oh wow,great recipe, thanks dear. Will make it weekend. Thanks girls

      Reply
    6. Precious Nkeih says

      February 04, 2016 at 2:22 pm

      You're welcome, dear

      Reply
    7. patie says

      June 29, 2016 at 2:28 pm

      Made some yesterday.The tip you gave on frying on temperatures that let them fry for around 5 mins before turning brown was excellent cus it cooked through.my sizes were abit small so will make them larger next time.Hubby loved them but I think I cut the dough sizes too small.next time.Thanks Precious.

      Reply
    8. Precious Nkeih says

      June 29, 2016 at 3:55 pm

      Aww, you're welcome Patie! I'm glad the tip worked for you. Thank you for the feedback.

      Reply
    9. Anonymous says

      August 04, 2016 at 12:59 pm

      Hi Precious. I just started reading your blog and wanted to show my appreciating for your work. I love all the recipes and i am trying to get more into cooking these days so your recipes will help. Currently on my to-do list is - ndole, poulet DG, meat pie and fish pie. I will let you know how it goes. God bless.

      Reply
    10. Precious Nkeih says

      August 04, 2016 at 8:23 pm

      Thank you so much for the comment, dear! I always appreciate hearing from my readers. God bless you too. Looking forward to the feedback.
      Hope to see more of you here.

      Reply
    11. Anonymous says

      August 15, 2016 at 11:57 am

      You are great darling!You just made me a chef. Fish pie, meat pie. Perfect recipe. Am trying the doughnut now. Kudos

      Reply
    12. Precious Nkeih says

      August 15, 2016 at 12:03 pm

      Thanks for coming back to let me know, darling!
      Hope to hear from you, again.
      Blessings

      Reply
    13. klara says

      October 17, 2016 at 4:47 am

      i'm so grateful with your hand work dear u are wonderful keep up job well done

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 17, 2016 at 10:47 am

        Thanks for your very kind words, Klara!

        Reply
    14. Ndifon susan says

      December 23, 2016 at 11:32 pm

      Beautiful. You are awesome. You promise to try all. Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        December 30, 2016 at 6:41 am

        You're welcome Susan!

        Reply
    15. Asha says

      December 29, 2016 at 11:21 pm

      Hi love, new subscriber here!
      You're the first Cameroonian food vlogger I've found. I am a Black American and recently found out that my heritage/geneology is smack dab from Cameroon so I've been really trying to connect with that and finding you has helped so much.
      Thank you so much for all your amazing work!!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        December 30, 2016 at 6:44 am

        Hi Asha, so glad to have you here!!
        I'm so glad to be able to help as you connect to your roots. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have.
        Blessings to you!

        Reply
    16. Adeline says

      January 06, 2017 at 8:48 pm

      Thx a million @ may God bless you. Yummy snack for my hubby

      Reply
      • Precious says

        January 08, 2017 at 7:19 pm

        You're most welcome, Adeline.

        Reply
    17. Karen says

      May 03, 2017 at 5:25 pm

      Beautiful precious I tried it and loved it??

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 03, 2017 at 11:30 pm

        So glad to hear that, Karen. Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    18. Dominika Goodness says

      May 05, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      Weldone Ma'am Precious, the fish rolls definitely look crispy and no you are not bossy for saying that we should make some fish rolls. bless you Ma'am.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 05, 2017 at 6:47 pm

        Thanks D!
        Hope you enjoy the recipe.

        Reply
    19. Berry Dakara says

      May 06, 2017 at 9:04 pm

      Hubby has homework when he gets back to me!!!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 07, 2017 at 7:19 pm

        Hahaha okay!

        Reply
    20. Elizabeth says

      May 07, 2017 at 12:50 am

      Your recipy is the best.I use to make mind but it is usually hard and dry not cripcy but I don't no wat when wrong

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 07, 2017 at 7:20 pm

        Oh Elizabeth! Glad this helps.

        Reply
    21. Lina says

      May 08, 2017 at 12:13 am

      Wonderment and thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 08, 2017 at 9:58 pm

        You're welcome!

        Reply
    22. Bola says

      May 08, 2017 at 5:58 pm

      Can somebody serve me this with a chilled bottle of my fav drink (Pepsi)?

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 08, 2017 at 9:58 pm

        Go make yourself some, madame.

        Reply
    23. Lina says

      May 25, 2017 at 6:32 pm

      Precious, this fishroll is addictive.
      Just too good.........

      Reply
    24. Nneke says

      June 04, 2017 at 4:49 pm

      Wow!!! Good job dear, thanks and Gos bless you.

      Reply
    25. Nneka says

      June 04, 2017 at 4:57 pm

      Wow!!! Good job dear, thanks and God bless you real good.

      Reply
    26. moven says

      July 11, 2017 at 1:20 am

      thanks alot aunty precious, i now make these rolls and sell and it even helps me get some handouts in school. u r a blessing to this generation

      Reply
    27. Yvonne says

      September 17, 2017 at 9:44 am

      Can I bake the rolls instead if frying them? If yes, for how long and at what temperature? Thanks and I love your blog.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 17, 2017 at 10:19 pm

        Yes you can do that, Yvonne. Brush the rolls with oil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 180 degrees Celsius) for about 20 minutes or until the rolls turn golden brown. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    28. fanoevert says

      September 22, 2017 at 1:16 pm

      Good work dear. I must say my husband has been so happy with my cooking thanks to you. God bless you

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 23, 2017 at 10:51 pm

        Awwww so so happy to hear that! God bless you too!

        Reply
    29. Karen says

      October 23, 2017 at 11:21 am

      Miss p you a great cook ,bring following u for a while now.trust me you do all perfect. Quick question can i bake this recepi instead of frying.i did not put baking powder and so I don have the holes on the fish roll skin.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 23, 2017 at 10:23 pm

        Yes dear, you can totally bake instead of frying. Brush with oil and bake instead if you so wish.

        Reply
    30. Necky says

      December 05, 2017 at 3:17 am

      Hi. Please can I bake instead Of frying?

      Reply
      • Precious says

        December 05, 2017 at 3:34 pm

        Yes you definitely can. Brush with oil and bake.

        Reply
    31. Jay says

      December 08, 2017 at 4:32 am

      I made the Camaroonian fish rolls. So easy to make and tastes fabulous. Everyone loved it. So I made it few more times.Thank you so much for this perfect recipe.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        December 12, 2017 at 10:50 am

        So glad to hear that, Jay. Thank you for the great feedback.

        Reply
    32. veron says

      January 16, 2018 at 8:28 am

      amazing ma

      Reply
      • Precious says

        January 17, 2018 at 12:14 pm

        Thanks Veron!

        Reply
    33. Anna says

      April 10, 2018 at 2:20 pm

      Thanks very much dear. I just googled how to make fish rolls and i found this esp. from my own country of origin. Will try it. Keep-up dear.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        April 24, 2018 at 4:52 pm

        Glad you found me, Anna. Thank you for leaving a comment.

        Reply
    34. Patience says

      February 17, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      Hi precious, thanks for this recipie, I have tried it and I love the results. Could you please share some easy but healthy lunches kids can take to school? I really run out of ideas with this. Thanks

      Reply
      • Precious says

        February 21, 2019 at 9:31 pm

        Okay dear, I have noted your request.

        Reply
    35. Marlene says

      February 25, 2019 at 3:00 pm

      Thanks for the recipe tried was good when I was frying I discovered it was opening what could be the cause of that

      Reply
      • Precious says

        February 26, 2019 at 1:27 am

        Hi Marlene, your rolls were opening because they were not properly sealed. I always pinch the dough together at the end of rolling so it sticks together. Also, watch the video in the post to see how I do it. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    36. Esperance Beya says

      March 24, 2019 at 5:54 am

      Hi Precious, I am from Democratic Republic of Congo married to a Cameroonian. I started following you since last year. I really really appreciate your work. So far, I have learned and cooked ndole, pepper soup, Eru, okongobong, jollof rice, chin chin, Egusi pudding, Kati Kati and njama njama and this morning I made fish rolls. So proud of myself and thank you so much for being there for some of us and keep up the great work . God bless you and your family.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        March 25, 2019 at 5:33 pm

        So glad the recipes are helpful, dear. Thanks for the feedback. So nice of you to learn how to make Cameroonian dishes for your spouse.

        Reply
    37. Buri says

      June 14, 2019 at 12:33 pm

      Perfect Recipe!
      Thank you so much for this. My family and I enjoyed this last weekend.

      Reply
    38. Tabe says

      August 06, 2019 at 2:42 pm

      Hi dear
      Can I bake the fish roll instead of frying

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 08, 2019 at 2:03 pm

        Yes you can. Brush with oil and bake.

        Reply
    39. Nma says

      November 28, 2020 at 7:11 am

      madam Precious, you are just too much. even a dullard will not find it difficult to try out your recipe. keep on moving higher and be blessed.

      Reply
    40. Mrs. Nganjie says

      August 22, 2022 at 10:53 am

      I made these and yes they're sooooo delicious just next time I will roll the dough a bit thinner but these were heavenly everyone wants more thank you for sharing your recipe you've been my life saver in learning to cook Cameroonian food here in the USA as some things are hard to find 🤗

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 22, 2022 at 12:21 pm

        This warms my heart Thank you for sharing Mrs. Nganjie.

        Reply

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