Indian Fry Bread

After a crazy day at work and then torturing myself with grocery/christmas shopping on the way home, I used my last fifteen minutes of stamina to make dinner.  For real- it was fifteen minutes start to finish and then I immediately donned my fluffy pajama pants (wish I could live in them) and collapsed into bed to watched an episode of The Crown while slurping tea (like a good American) and munching Christmas chocolates (sorry sister- I opened your package early!)  This is my idea of a perfect Friday night.  I’m officially old.

Anyways, point of this story is that Indian tacos are not only delish – they are quick and easy which means you can put your pajamas on earlier!  Yay!

Another recipe that took more than one round due to the fact it was swiped up and eaten before I could click a picture!  That’s because my family gets excited about Indian fry bread tacos.  We love to drizzle honey on any leftovers as dessert- they taste like donuts that way:)

We treat the bread like a tostada and load it up with pinto or black beans, cheese, lettuce and salsa.  Some people put chili on top (I have heard this rendition referred to as Navaho tacos)

Indian Fry Bread

4 cups flour (we use whole wheat)

½ tsp salt

1 TBSP baking powder

1 ½ cup warm water (some people use milk)

Mix these four ingredients till dough is soft (1-2 minutes), then make 8 balls of dough (about 2 inches wide)

Flatten out to 6-7 inches wide and round.  I use a bit of flour and a rolling pen for most of it and then stretch by hand the last inch or so.

Heat vegetable oil (3-4 inches deep) to 350 degrees in a wide mouthed pot (you can use a thermometer until you are used to estimating temperatures)

Fry 1-2 at a time depending on size of your pot, 2-3 minutes each, flipping halfway in order to evenly brown both sides.

Some people cut a small hole in the middle so they will fry flat- ours will fry into a big round ball, but they mostly deflate when we add the beans and cheese.  I’m tempted to try the hole method next time, but after all these years my kids will probably insist on the old way.  I somehow raised a bunch of sentimental traditionalists!

I’ve made these for large crowds- I’ll fry 50-60 of them using 2 pots at a time, hold the finished ones in an oven at 200 and then set a bar with all the taco ingredients so people can make their own.  People get really excited about this inexpensive and simple meal:)