Fry Bread

by LEON BOUTEILLER

Fry bread is an easy, quick bread traditionally made with flour, baking powder, lard, salt and water. The dough is flattened into rounds and then fried in hot oil. It may be dusted with sugar or served with butter and preserves for a sweet treat. It may also serve as a vehicle for savory toppings much like a taco or tostada.

Fry bread had an auspicious beginning. It was created from ingredients afforded by the United States government to Indian, Indigenous populations, when they were forced to relocate to reservations during the later half of the 1800’s.

The quality was bad, not like anything in their usual diet. There is controversy about this food in some Indigenous populations; a few reject it as representative of colonialism and oppression. However many continue to make this delicious and versatile bread. It is traditionally called Indian Fry Bread but may be named by the tribal people who make this bread - Navajo, Lakota and Hopi are a few names that may be included in the title.

The fact remains that it is a delicious and versatile quick bread. It is much like the fried dough that we find at county fairs in the Northeast. That bread is more akin to fried pizza dough. Indian Fry Bread is found all around the West and Southwest, often at fairs and carnivals. There is a similar version among the native people of western Canada called Canadian Beaver Tail. There is no relation to a real beaver except that it is shaped like a beaver’s tail.

Originally the fat was lard, today often oil or melted butter. It is made with all-purpose flour but may be made with whole wheat flour; some contain cornmeal or masa. Milk may be some or all of the liquid. Baking powder is most often the leavening ingredient. I found a few recipes calling for yeast, some a wild yeast sourdough. This, in my mind, makes it no longer a quick bread.

My version is simple and an amalgam of several recipes, a delicious and usable bread. The dough can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated. Once completed, the bread is best served warm. It can be made ahead of time, stored in airtight containers and gently warmed for service. The dough should be kneaded for a short time, roughly a minute or two, just to get it smooth. Do not work the dough any more in case it becomes tough. The resulting bread should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

FRY BREAD

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons neutral oil, or melted butter or lard
¾ cup warm water, or ½ cup water and ¼ cup milk
Fine cornmeal or masa to dust the work surface
Oil for frying. I used avocado oil but any neutral oil will do

Method:

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl
Add the oil or melted butter to the warm water and stir
Mix the liquid into the flour mixture and when it holds together, dump it out onto the work surface, dusted with the cornmeal, and knead for a minute or so until smooth
Put the dough back in the bowl, cover it and let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes
Meanwhile, heat ½ inch of oil in a heavy pan with at least 2 inch sides, to 350F degrees
Divide the dough into 8 even pieces
Roll the dough balls to ¼ inch thickness, about 5 or 6 inches in diameter
Fry in hot oil, one at a time, for 1 to 2 minutes per side, then drain on paper towels

A bit of fun to make and a versatile bread to boot! Eat it like a doughnut dusted with cinnamon sugar or pile on the toppings for an open-faced sandwich or taco. Any way you serve it, these breads may become a go-to for a different way to serve a lunch or snack.

Enjoy!