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Navajo fry bread
Crisp-edged, chewy fried flatbread of the Diné Nation
Fry bread is eaten across the Navajo (Diné) Nation of Arizona and New Mexico, at powwows, rodeos, flea markets and family gatherings. It grew out of the flour and lard handed out as government rations after the Long Walk of 1864, so it carries a painful history as well as pride. The dough is simple, stretched by hand and fried until puffed, crisp at the edges and chewy inside. Eat it with honey and icing sugar, or as the base for Navajo tacos. Chef's tip: poke a small hole in the centre before frying so it cooks evenly and doesn't balloon.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm water
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
- 4 tbsp honey (optional)to serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix the 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt, add the ¾ cup warm water and mix with your hand to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead 1 minute only.
4 minStep 2: Cover and rest for 15 minutes. Divide into 6 balls.
15 minStep 3: Heat 3 cm of 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan to 350°F. Pat and stretch each ball between floured hands into a 15 cm round about 5 mm thick, and poke a small hole in the middle.
6 minStep 4: Slide in one at a time and fry for 1–1½ minutes a side until puffed and golden brown. A common mistake is overworking the dough, which makes the bread tough rather than tender.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm with 4 tbsp honey.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does navajo fry bread take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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