I love coconut. I really do. Really. Coconut just is so amazing. If it has coconut in it, I will eat it. I honestly can’t believe it took me this long to post this recipe. Its one of my most favorite Guyanese baked goods. This red coconut roll, what Guyanese call salara, is mainly a bread recipe that has been filled with red-colored coconut, rolled up, then baked off until brown. It is usually eaten at any time of the day. I enjoy it for breakfast with a cup of tea or in the afternoon as a snack. I’m not sure why the coconut is red, but it is what makes this roll recognizable to a Guyanese.
Let’s start by making the bread dough. Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix and let stand. Warm the milk then set aside. Combine salt and sugar with the flour, cut shortening into the flour mixture then add the yeast, and egg.
Pour the milk in and knead to make a moderately stiff dough. Shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with aluminum foil; let rise to double in size for about 1 hour. Combine all the filling ingredients and set aside. Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into an 12 inch x 8 inch rectangle, and brush with melted butter.
Give coconut a quick chop.
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Add spices to the coconut then the red food coloring
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| Add coloring to desired red hue. |
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| after the dough has risen, pat it down with your hands |
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| Cut the dough in half |
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| try your best to form a rectangular shape. |
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| brush the dough with butter |
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| now add ½ the coconut mixture and spread it evenly on the dough (save the other half for the second roll) |
Guyanese Salara – Red coconut roll
Ingredients
- *Dough
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup milk, warmed
- ¼ cup shortening
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 egg white
- *Filling
- 1 cup shredded flaked coconut, (if grating your own, increase sugar to ½ cup from ¼ cup)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoon water
- 5 drops of red food coloring (or until desired red color is achieved)
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix and let stand.
- Warm the milk then set aside. Combine the salt and sugar with the flour, cut shortening into the flour mixture then add the yeast, and egg. Pour the milk in and knead to make a moderately stiff dough. Shape into a ball.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with aluminum foil; let rise to double in size for about 1 hour. Combine all the filling ingredients and set aside.
- Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into an 12 inch x 8 inch rectangle, and brush with melted butter.
- Sprinkle half of the filling mixture on each rectangle of dough. Roll up lengthwise and seal the edges.
- Cover and let rise until double in size.
- Brush the rolls with beaten egg white. Bake at 350°F for 20 - 30 minutes. Until the tops are brown
- Cut into slices and serve. Yields 2 rolls.
Notes
Source: Guyana's Wayne Outpost (with modifications)
Cynthia says
I would love a slice or two right now.
Anonymous says
i thought after the salara is cooked,you then use brown sugar surup and rub on the finish dough…….
Ms. Gourmet Express says
Hi Anonymous- I suppose you could brush the syrup on after it is cooked, but I imagine it would be very sticky and take a long time to dry. I have never glazed salara after it being cooked, I will try it next time on one piece and see how it turns out. Thanks for your comment!
Anonymous says
Thanks for posting this recipe, I've been wanting to make this for a long time but haven't been brave enough! – DP
Louis de abreu says
Your recipe … beaten egg and egg white. No mention in the recipe as to the use of egg white. I am guessing its used to seal dough???
Ms. Gourmet Express says
Hi Anonymous- I think you should bite the bullet and make it! Just be patient, pastries take a lot of patience, even I get scared of messing up sometimes! Let me know how it turns out. Thanks for visiting 🙂
Anonymous says
is this the same as what Trini's call "fingers"
DP's Husband says
My wife just made this for the first time… all I have to say is WOW. She did a great job – this is one of the best pastries I've had. Thanks for encouraging her! – DP's Husband (see above)
Ms. Gourmet Express says
Hi! DP and husband 🙂
I am so happy to hear that it turned out well! It's always a great feeling to please your hubby's tummy! Thanks for visiting, I hope you try some other recipes 🙂
-Alica
Anonymous says
I tried this recipe and it turned out great!!!
~Nakeia
Tina Bansi says
Hi. I want to try this for my son's school. Just to clarify…the filling seems quite dry to accomplish that gooey filling that some salaras have. Does this recipe give that gooey coconut filling after baking? Thanks. 🙂
Love your pictures , by the way.
Ms. Gourmet Express says
Hi Tina,
You shouldn't have a problem with it being gooey. They bread recipe here is not going to turn out very hard and tough, so the coconut mixture has a chance to seep through the bread slightly and make it moist.
Also the moisture is going to come from when the sugar in the coconut mixture melts. If you would like your mixture to be slightly more wet, then add 2 tbsp more of water to the coconut mix.
Thanks for visiting!
Person says
I want to eat some right now so badly! xD My Guyanese friend bought it in for lunch one day, and it tasted so good!
Empress Marci says
Thank you for posting this! I have made it a couple times and it has turned out perfect each time. I posted the recipe and pictures on my blog with a link back here. http://empress-m-designs.blogspot.com/2011/11/red-coconut-roll-salara-red-belly.html
tricotreat says
Thanks so much for posting this! I am going to give it a try this weekend!
Pamela Cox says
Pamela from Amsterdam feb 2,2013 at 14.13
Thank you for posting this. I will try all of them.
I am a born Guyanese but don,t know my culture and food stuff so well.
eat it but can,t make it.
thanks
Leola Sutton says
Leola Myerly
I love salara so much that today decided to give it a try! This is my first time making it so I hope it turns out well!! I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Leola
Alica says
Hi Leola,
Thanks for visiting, let me know how it goes 🙂
Alica says
Hi Pamela,
I know how you feel girl, I rather eat lot of stuff than make it haha! Take care!
NJ says
I have made salara before by following a recipe my aunt gave me. I decided to try your recipe last night and it came out wonderful. Usually my mom says, "it's missing something" or "you should've added this", but this time she just kept eating. Thanks for sharing!(I also tried you plait bread recipe which was equally awesome.)
Yvonne says
I love your recipe .I am making salara at this very moment.
Ann-Marie says
I made this yesterday! I switched up a couple of things here and there but the results were amazing. I was worried that the bread would be tough after a day, but no such thing happened. Tasted so much like the kind I used to buy at Port Mourant Market. Thank you!
Roylyn Taitt says
I did an excellent job. The feed back was great. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sylvia Singh says
I love salara and so I am trying this recipe right now! I sort of added almond extract rather than vanilla. The filling taste a bit bitter lol will it taste better after it has baked! I am a so worried. Thank you so much for you recipes! I love and appreciate them all! 🙂
Mrs Porfiria says
Omg…I love this recipe I look forward to trying it
michelle khan says
I love all your recipes!! Thank you 🙂
michelle khan says
I love all your recipes! Thank you 🙂
Tracey Singh says
Hi can I make this without egg?????
Is there any other ingredients to replace the egg am a vegetarian
Sheron says
Hi I just wanted to say I love Salara and I tried your recipe and it was wonderful. No I don't have to buy I can make it. Thanks for sharing this with us.
PRIYA says
Thank you for the detailed directions. I made it for the first time and it was perfect!
Yashminie Ramprasad says
Is there a specific amount of water that is needed for the yeast?
Unknown says
I have used this recipe three times since I found it and it turns out great everytime. However, after baking I make a simple syrup and glaze the finish product.
Unknown says
Can I use butter instead of shortening? Is the ratio the same?
Marie says
Hello, I want to try this recipe without eggs. What do I use instead?
Thank you
Marie
Rita Jones says
So I made this tonight and I’m amazed at how easy to make! Thank you for the recipe.
Samantha Brandon. says
This recipe is FANTASTIC!! The first time I made it, my husband bragged about how good it tasted and the man doesn’t brag about food. It is soo moist and delicious. Quite frankly I have stopped buying Salara and opt to make it at home because this homemade recipe tastes much better than store bought. The only change I made was double my filling because I felt like it needed more. Thank you so much for this recipe. To all who are scared, worried, or concerned about trying this recipe: I totally understand cause I was the same my first time but be patient and have faith so long as you’re following the recipe.
Kiwi says
Can I substitute something else for the shortening? Butter perhaps?
Alica says
Sure, butter will work.
Brenda says
My dough was very wet and sticky. Why is that? I followed the recipe to a T…. Anyways I will try to update later. I just finished the dough and I’m worried because it’s not a stiff dough, it’s rather wet and sticky I had to add some flour….
Lynesa says
Love this recipe, my salara came out so moist and delicious!!! Thank you for sharing.
Shaz says
Do you use sweetened coconut?
Alica says
Yes, I used sweetened coconut here, but if you have freshly grated coconut, that would taste amazing.
Ann M says
I made this 3 times and it turned out awesome! The only thing I did differently was to add a bit more coconut and omit the eggs. I took it as a dessert for a celebration at my temple and it was such a big hit!!!
Thank you for all your recipes I really appreciate it!
Alica says
Hi Ann, that’s wonderful! So glad to hear it! Thanks for following!
Oma Amrit-Singh says
Hi
This is one of my favorite Guyanese pastry. I love anything with coconut also since we had a big field of coconut trees and utilized everything from the coconut. Made our own oil etc. I tried making this pastry but it was not so good because of the dough which I did not know to do well. It looks juicy like I like it. My mom used to saute the coconut with the sugar and spices first and that’s what she fill the dough with and it was the best I ever had. Try toasting the fresh coconut first because the flavor comes out beautiful and then add the sugar and spices.