Chiko Roll

The Chiko Roll is a savoury snack, inspired by the Chinese spring roll. It was designed to be easily eaten on the move without a plate or cutlery. It consists of boned mutton, celery, cabbage, barley, rice, carrot and spices in a tube of egg, flour and dough  which is then deep-fried. The wrap is designed to be thick, so it would survive handling at sport matches. It was first sold in 1951. At the peak of their popularity in the 1970s, 40 million Chiko Rolls were sold annually in Australia.

Increasing competition in the takeaway food market in recent years has seen a decline in the sales of the Chiko Roll, but they are still widely available at fish-and-chips shops and supermarkets across Australia.

They are made in a machine as a continuous tube, which is then deep fried. The long roll is cut to size, and the pastry ends are added before the second deep-frying. They are then frozen and delivered to shops.

When you order a Chiko Roll, the cook will take the roll from the freezer and drop it into the fryer for a few minutes. It will then be put into the paper bag shown in the photo. The paper bag has stayed much the same ever since it was first produced in 1951.

• Chiko Roll manufacturer.

• Wikipedia entry.