Salbutes
Maize tortillas fried until they puff up and topped with shredded chicken, cabbage, tomato, pickled onion and avocado. In San Ignacio and western Belize they’re the street-stall food.
Ingredients
- 300 g nixtamalised maize flour (masa harina)
- Lukewarm water and salt
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon of annatto paste
- 1/4 cabbage, finely shredded
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 red onion pickled in lime juice
- 1 avocado
- Oil for frying
How to make it at home
- Simmer the chicken in water with the annatto paste and salt for 30 minutes, then shred it.
- Knead the maize flour with lukewarm water and salt and make small, thin tortillas.
- Fry them in very hot oil until they puff up, and drain.
- Top each tortilla with the chicken, cabbage, sliced tomato and pickled onion.
- Finish with slices of avocado and hot sauce to taste.
The trick: The red onion pickled in lime is what gives them their character.