Description
Indian Frybread is a traditional Native American snack made from a simple dough that is fried until golden and puffy. This versatile bread can be enjoyed sweet with honey or powdered sugar, or savory as the base for delicious Navajo tacos topped with seasoned ground beef and fresh vegetables. Easy to prepare and delightfully crispy, frybread is best served fresh and warm.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For Frying and Serving
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- Optional toppings such as honey, powdered sugar, or savory taco toppings
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Form Dough: Add the warm water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead for 3 to 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Rest Dough: Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and improve texture.
- Divide and Shape: After resting, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball into a disc about ¼-inch thick.
- Heat Oil: In a deep skillet, heat about one inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C), ensuring the oil is hot but not smoking.
- Fry Bread: Carefully place one dough disc into the hot oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and puffed.
- Drain: Remove the frybread from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Repeat Frying: Repeat the frying process with the remaining dough pieces.
- Serve: Serve the frybread warm with your choice of toppings, such as honey or powdered sugar for a sweet version, or seasoned ground beef and vegetables for savory Navajo tacos.
Notes
- For a sweet variation, drizzle the frybread with honey or dust with powdered sugar.
- Make savory Navajo tacos by topping frybread with seasoned ground beef, beans, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.
- Frybread is best enjoyed fresh but can be reheated in the oven to restore crispiness.
