Street Food
Salbutes
Ingredients
- - 12 small (10cm/4 inch) corn tortillas
- - 500ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for frying
- - 300g (2 cups) shredded cooked chicken (leftover stewed chicken works well)
- - 1/2 head lettuce, finely shredded
- - 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- - 60ml (1/4 cup) white vinegar
- - 1/2 tsp salt
- - Sliced radish, to garnish (optional)
- - Hot sauce, to serve
Method
- Combine the sliced red onion with the vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Let pickle for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan to 190C (375F). Fry the tortillas one at a time, spooning hot oil over the top, until they puff up and turn golden, about 30-45 seconds per side.
- Drain the fried tortillas on paper towels while still puffed.
- Top each warm tortilla with a generous portion of shredded chicken, lettuce and tomato slices.
- Finish with the pickled onion and sliced radish if using, and serve immediately with hot sauce on the side.
Introduction: Salbutes are puffed, deep-fried corn tortillas piled high with shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato and pickled onion, a favourite grab-and-go lunch sold from carts and market stalls across Belize.
Cultural Background: Salbutes are puffed, deep-fried corn tortillas piled high with shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato and pickled onion, a favourite grab-and-go lunch sold from carts and market stalls across Belize. Lighter and puffier than their cousin the garnache, salbutes are a distinctly festive, hand-held street food.
Tips: Fry at a good steady heat so the tortillas puff dramatically rather than sitting flat and greasy. Assemble salbutes right before eating, as the crisp base softens quickly once topped with moist ingredients.
Variations: Top with shredded turkey instead of chicken, especially popular around the Christmas season. For a vegetarian version, top with refried beans and avocado instead of chicken.
Storage: Best eaten immediately; store components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and assemble fresh.
Reheating: Not recommended once assembled; plain fried tortillas can be briefly re-crisped in a dry pan before re-topping.
Nutrition: Approx. 180 kcal, 9g protein, 9g fat, 16g carbohydrate per piece
FAQs:
Q: What’s the difference between salbutes and garnaches? A: Salbutes use puffed, freshly fried tortillas topped with shredded meat and salad, while garnaches use flatter fried tortillas topped with refried beans and cheese. Q: Can I use store-bought rotisserie chicken? A: Yes, shredded rotisserie chicken is a convenient and tasty shortcut for the topping.
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