Salbutes is one of my favorite Belizean staples. In this blog post I will provide you with the recipe on how you can make salbutes.

Belizean Salbutes Ingredients

1 pound fresh corn masa or 1½ cups Quaker Masa Harina de Maiz mix
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
3 large chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried oregano,
divided  2 cups red onion,
slice 1  jalapeño pepper, deseeded, sliced
¼ cup white vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Tortilla Press

Directions Masa

Mix masa, flour, baking powder, salt and water until soft and masa holds together.  If using Masa Harina, follow instructions on package. Divide masa and shape into 1½ inch balls. Place ball of masa in-between 2 sheets of parchment paper in the center of a tortilla press and flatten.  Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry until lightly browned, but not crisp. The masa will inflate. Remove from frying pan and drain.

Chicken

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon oregano. Boil in enough water to cover chicken for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove from water, cool and shred. Reserve chicken broth.

Onions

Bring reserved broth to a boil, add onions, jalapeño pepper, vinegar and ½ teaspoon oregano. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain, reserve onions and pepper.

Place inflated fried corn round on a serving plate, press down slightly to flatten. Top with shredded chicken, onions and jalapeño pepper.

Serves 4 to 6

Make sure to try the salbutes for a unique taste of the foods in Belize.

This recipe is courtesy of Flavors of Belize – the country’s first hardcover cultural cookbook.

See also: Belize vacations