Frybread
A simple flour dough, hand-flattened and deep-fried until puffed and golden, served plain with honey or piled with meat, beans, and vegetables as an Indian taco. Frybread's origin is not an ancient tradition but a direct product of hardship: after the U.S. military's 1863-1866 campaign destroyed Navajo (Dine) crops and livestock and forced the Long Walk to internment at Bosque Redondo, where the land could not support traditional farming, the government issued rations of processed white flour, sugar, salt, and lard. Frybread emerged from adapting those imposed commodity rations into a sustaining food, and it carries real, mixed meaning today: a genuine expression of resilience passed down through generations, and at the same time a reminder of forced displacement and the loss of traditional food sovereignty.
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups warm water or warm milk
- Vegetable oil or lard, for frying, about 3 cups
- Honey or powdered sugar, for a sweet version
- Seasoned ground beef, beans, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, for Indian tacos, optional
Steps
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the warm water or milk, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead briefly, about 2 minutes, just until smooth, without overworking it.
- Cover and let rest 15-20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, and flatten each by hand into a disc about 1/4 inch thick and 6 inches across, poking a small hole in the center to help it fry evenly.
- Heat the oil or lard to 350F/175C in a deep, heavy skillet.
- Fry each piece 1-2 minutes per side until puffed and golden brown.
- Drain on a rack, then serve warm, either sweet with honey or powdered sugar, or savory as the base for an Indian taco topped with seasoned ground beef, beans, lettuce, tomato, and cheese.