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.
Give coconut a quick chop.
Add spices to the coconut then the red food coloring |
Add coloring to desired red hue. |
after the dough has risen, pat it down with your hands |
Cut the dough in half |
try your best to form a rectangular shape. |
brush the dough with butter |
now add ยฝ the coconut mixture and spread it evenly on the dough (save the other half for the second roll) |
Guyanese Salara โ Red coconut roll
Ingredients
- *Dough
- 1 tbsp dry yeast
- ยผ cup warm water
- ยผ cup sugar
- 1 cup milk, warmed
- ยผ cup shortening
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 egg white
- *Filling
- 1 cup shredded flaked coconut, (if grating your own, increase sugar to ยฝ cup from ยผ cup)
- ยผ cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp 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
I would love a slice or two right now.
Anonymous
i thought after the salara is cooked,you then use brown sugar surup and rub on the finish dough.......
Ms. Gourmet Express
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
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
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
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 ๐
Anonymous
is this the same as what Trini's call "fingers"
DP's Husband
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
Hi! DP and husband ๐
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 ๐
-Alica
Anonymous
I tried this recipe and it turned out great!!!
~Nakeia
Tina Bansi
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. ๐
Love your pictures , by the way.
Ms. Gourmet Express
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
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
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
Thanks so much for posting this! I am going to give it a try this weekend!
Pamela Cox
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
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
Hi Leola,
Thanks for visiting, let me know how it goes ๐
Alica
Hi Pamela,
I know how you feel girl, I rather eat lot of stuff than make it haha! Take care!
NJ
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
I love your recipe .I am making salara at this very moment.
Ann-Marie
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
I did an excellent job. The feed back was great. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sylvia Singh
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! ๐
Mrs Porfiria
Omg...I love this recipe I look forward to trying it
michelle khan
I love all your recipes!! Thank you ๐
michelle khan
I love all your recipes! Thank you ๐
Tracey Singh
Hi can I make this without egg?????
Is there any other ingredients to replace the egg am a vegetarian
Sheron
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
Thank you for the detailed directions. I made it for the first time and it was perfect!
Yashminie Ramprasad
Is there a specific amount of water that is needed for the yeast?
Unknown
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
Can I use butter instead of shortening? Is the ratio the same?
Marie
Hello, I want to try this recipe without eggs. What do I use instead?
Thank you
Marie
Rita Jones
So I made this tonight and I'm amazed at how easy to make! Thank you for the recipe.
Samantha Brandon.
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
Can I substitute something else for the shortening? Butter perhaps?
Alica
Sure, butter will work.
Brenda
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
Love this recipe, my salara came out so moist and delicious!!! Thank you for sharing.
Shaz
Do you use sweetened coconut?
Alica
Yes, I used sweetened coconut here, but if you have freshly grated coconut, that would taste amazing.
Ann M
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
Hi Ann, that's wonderful! So glad to hear it! Thanks for following!
Oma Amrit-Singh
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.