Salbutes

Ingredients

• For fryingVegetable oil
• 340 g (¾ pound; about 2½ cups)Masa harina
• 57 g (2 ounces; about ¼ cup)Plain flour
• 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon)Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 590 ml (2½ cups), plus more if neededLukewarm water
• To tasteColado black beans
• To tasteBoston lettuce, or a small lettuce, thinly sliced
• To tastePibil picadillo
• To tasteRipe avocado, sliced
• To tasteChunky tomato and habanero salsa

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the press

   Cut two round pieces of plastic from produce or zip-lock bags, about 1.3 cm larger than the tortilla press. Set them aside. In a large skillet or cast-iron pan, heat vegetable oil to a depth of about 1.9 cm, ready for frying.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Stir the masa harina, plain flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and knead by hand in the bowl for about 1 minute, until the dough is smooth and fairly firm. If it sticks to your hands and feels wet, mix in a little more masa harina. If it crumbles or cracks when rolled into a ball or pressed, add water a teaspoon at a time.

3. 3

   Divide the dough

   Divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll each into a ball. Keep the bowl covered with a towel as you work so the dough does not dry out.

4. 4

   Press the tortillas

   Put one piece of plastic on the bottom of the tortilla press, set a dough ball on it and cover with the second piece. Gently press until the dough is about 3 mm thick and 12.7 cm across. For a round tortilla, jiggle the press handle as it nears the bottom; press again if needed to reach the thickness.

5. 5

   Fry each tortilla

   Open the press and peel away the top plastic. Carry the tortilla on the bottom plastic to the skillet, transfer it to one hand as you remove the plastic with the other, then quickly and gently lay it in the oil. The oil should bubble around the tortilla.

6. 6

   Puff and brown

   With a large cooking spoon, gently but actively spoon hot oil over the tortilla to help it puff and cook on top. Fry for about 30 to 35 seconds, until puffed on top and browned underneath. Lift it out with the spoon or a spatula and place it on a paper-towel-covered rack or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

7. 7

   Top and serve

   Once fried, the tortillas are salbutes. Serve them hot, topped with a spread of colado black beans, lettuce, pibil picadillo, avocado slices and chunky tomato and habanero salsa.

What are salbutes?

Salbutes are a Yucatecan speciality: tortillas are fried until they puff, then topped with a mix of savoury and fresh ingredients. Their name is often associated with the idea of a puffed or swollen tortilla.

This version pairs a masa harina dough with a little plain flour, then layers on black beans, pibil picadillo, lettuce, avocado and a lively tomato and habanero salsa. Frying each tortilla just before serving gives the toppings a warm, crisp base.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 230 calories, 7g protein, 34g carbs, 8g fat.

The masa harina and flour provide most of the carbohydrates, while frying oil and avocado contribute much of the fat. Black beans and pibil picadillo add protein, but the topping amounts are not specified, so the nutrition estimate is approximate. Balance the plate with extra lettuce and salsa alongside the salbutes.

Getting the dough right

Masa harina: This dried corn dough flour forms the tortilla base. Knead it with the lukewarm water until smooth and firm rather than sticky.

Plain flour: A small amount is mixed into the masa harina in this recipe. Keep the dough covered between portions so its surface stays workable.

Pressing evenly

Plastic sheets: The two pieces stop the dough sticking to the press. Make them slightly wider than the press so you can lift and peel them away easily.

Thickness: Aim for about 3 mm and 12.7 cm across. A gentle jiggle near the end of the press can help shape a round tortilla; another press is fine if it needs to be thinner.

Frying and puffing

Oil depth: About 1.9 cm of oil gives room for the tortillas to fry. Look for bubbles around the tortilla when it goes in.

Top-side cooking: Spoon hot oil over the top while it fries. The salbute is ready after about 30 to 35 seconds, when it has puffed on top and browned underneath.

Building the toppings

Base layer: Spread colado black beans over each hot tortilla, then add the thinly sliced lettuce and pibil picadillo.

Finish: Add avocado slices and chunky tomato and habanero salsa. The ingredients are listed without quantities, so top each salbute to your taste.

Serving them hot

Salbutes are best served as soon as they are fried, while their edges are crisp and the centres are puffed. Set out the toppings before frying so the tortillas can be assembled without delay.

Serve them as a meal or share them as part of a spread with extra salsa and other Mexican dishes. Keep the toppings separate until serving to preserve the tortillas’ texture.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the unused dough balls covered while pressing and frying.
• Adjust the dough with only a little extra masa harina or water at a time.
• Use the plastic sheets to move each tortilla towards the pan before peeling one away.
• Spoon hot oil over the tortilla gently and continuously to encourage it to puff.
• Have the toppings ready before frying, as salbutes are best served hot.

Variations

• Extra heat: Add more habanero salsa to each salbute.
• Milder topping: Use less habanero salsa and let the tomato come through.
• More avocado: Add extra avocado slices just before serving.
• Bean-forward: Spread on a generous layer of colado black beans.
• Lettuce swap: Use another small lettuce, sliced thinly, in place of Boston lettuce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dry dough: Keep the bowl covered with a towel and add water a teaspoon at a time if it cracks.
• Sticky dough: Knead in a little more masa harina if it clings to your hands and feels wet.
• Uneven tortillas: Press to an even thickness, then give the handle a small jiggle near the bottom.
• Oil not bubbling: Wait until the oil bubbles around the tortilla when it enters the pan.
• Over-frying: Remove each salbute after about 30 to 35 seconds, once puffed and browned underneath.

How to store

These are best eaten hot straight after frying. If needed, refrigerate leftover fried tortillas and toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days; reheat the tortillas briefly in a hot, dry pan and add the cold toppings afterwards.

Frequently asked questions