Salbutes

A Yucatecan street snack (antojito), historically from Mérida and the surrounding peninsula. Pre-Columbian Maya were already frying masa discs; the turkey topping is Maya-native (turkey was domesticated in Mesoamerica), and the pickled red onion is a Spanish-introduced technique adapted with local sour orange. The form codified during the 19th century alongside other Yucatecan masa snacks as cantina and market food.

Yucatecan puffed tortilla — masa pressed thin, dropped into hot oil so it inflates like a pillow, topped with shredded turkey, pickled red onion, avocado, habanero. Salbut means "unfilled" in Mayan.

A small fried disc of corn masa, puffed in the middle so it's hollow, topped with shredded turkey or chicken, sliced avocado, and pink pickled onions. Eaten in two or three bites, by hand. The masa is salty and crackles on the outside, soft and steaming inside; the onion's vinegar cuts the fry. Cousin to the panucho — same disc, but salbutes are unstuffed; panuchos have a layer of refried black bean inside.

The puff is the test of a salbut — plain corn masa worked with just water and salt and no added fat, formed slightly thick, lightly griddled, then dropped in oil at about 180°C. The disc inflates because steam from the wet masa pushes the two surfaces apart before they fully set. If oil is too cool the masa absorbs it and stays flat; too hot and the outside hardens before the inside can steam. A cook's reputation rides on the puff rate.