Indian Fry Bread

On Saturday night I attended Tucson's annual downtown music, art and food festival Tucson Meet Yourself, which of late has acquired the nickname Tucson Eat Yourself, because of the wide array of international food booths at the three-day event.

It was difficult to make a choice as to what to try, but we decided to brave the long Indian frybread line.

It's generally served either plain, with honey or powdered sugar as a sweet treat, or covered in beans, lettuce, beef, cheese and salsa as an "Indian taco" or "Navajo taco."
Here's a short history of the bread, courtesy of whatscookingamerica.net.

Although considered a "traditional food," Navajo fry bread actually evolved in the mid-19th century. Beginning in 1860, approximately 8,000 Navajos spent four years imprisoned at fort Summer, New Mexico and were given little more than white flour and lard to eat. American scout Kit Carson and his troops drove the Navajo people from their lands by destroying their means of survival. They killed sheep, goats, and horses; poisoned wells; burned orchards and crops; and destroyed shelters and anything else that was of value to the Navajo. Carson and his troops then rounded up thousands of starving Navajo and sent them on the "Long Walk" to Fort Sumner at Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. This was truly one of the saddest events in United States history.

The U.S. government provided those on the reservation with wheat flour as part of a commodities program. Because of this, lard and wheat flour became the main ingredients in the making of Navajo fry bread. The Navajo women had to make the best of what was often considered poor-quality rations in reservation camps and the varying availability of government-issued commodities. They thus created fry bread.

Here is a recipe from Tucsonan Amber Brandt

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dry milk powder
Oil for deep frying

Combine first 4 ingredients; pour 3/4 cup warm water on top. Use hands to combine; knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 1-1/2 inch rounds; roll each out into a flattened circle. Heat 1/4-inch depth oil to 365 degrees in a 10" skillet; add dough, heating until golden. Turn to heat other side; drain on paper towels.