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1
Pickle the red onion
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl with the lime juice, white vinegar, 2 g of the salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss well, press the onion down into the liquid and leave for 15 minutes until it turns bright pink and softens.
The onion should be covered by the liquid — add a splash of water if it is not.
Done when: Bright pink, softened rings with a sharp, tangy smell.
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2
Poach the chicken
20 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 90°C (194°F); chicken to 74°C (165°F)
Put the chicken in a pot with the halved white onion, garlic, bay leaf and 1 g of the salt. Cover with cold water, bring to a gentle simmer — never a rolling boil — and cook for 18-20 minutes until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) at its thickest point. Lift out, rest for 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
A rolling boil makes chicken tough and dry; a lazy simmer keeps it juicy enough to shred.
Done when: No pink at the centre, juices run clear, and the meat pulls apart into shreds.
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3
Mix and rest the masa dough
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F), covered
Mix the masa harina, baking powder and the remaining 5 g of salt in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water a little at a time, kneading with your hand until a soft dough forms that holds together without cracking. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 10 minutes.
The dough should feel like soft play dough — if it cracks at the edges, work in another tablespoon of warm water.
Done when: Smooth, soft dough that does not crack when pinched.
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4
Shape the tortillas
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Press each one between two sheets of plastic in a tortilla press, or roll it out with a rolling pin, into a disc about 12 cm wide and 5 mm thick. Keep the discs covered with a damp cloth so they do not dry out.
Even thickness matters — thin spots brown too fast and thick spots will not puff.
Done when: 8 even discs, about 12 cm wide, smooth on both sides.
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5
Fry until puffed and golden
12 Mins
Hot oil, 175°C (350°F)
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 175°C (350°F). Slide in 2 tortillas at a time and spoon hot oil over the tops — within seconds each one should balloon up. Fry about 1 minute per side until pale golden, then lift out and drain on paper towels.
Spooning oil over the top is what makes them puff — a tortilla left sitting flat in the oil will stay flat.
Done when: Puffed like a pillow, pale golden, soft and bendable rather than crisp.
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6
Top and serve at once
5 Mins
Warm, about 60°C (140°F)
Lay the hot tortillas on plates, 2 per person. Pile on the shredded chicken, then the pickled onion, lettuce, tomato slices, avocado and cucumber. Serve the sliced habanero on the side and eat immediately, while the tortillas are still soft and warm.
Top them only when everyone is seated — a salbut waits for nobody, and the steam softens the tortilla within minutes.
Done when: Warm, soft tortillas generously topped, ready to fold and eat by hand.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Bring the salbutes to the table still warm from the oil, with the habanero on the side — fold each one over in your hands and eat it before the puff settles.
Belize
1h 35m
