The Untold Story of Indian Tacos and Navajo Frybread – Native American

Step 1: Prepare the Dry Dough Ingredients

Add 2 cups of all-purpose flour to a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well with a whisk until combined.

Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients to Dough

Add 1 cup of warm water to the dry ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon of corn oil. Mix with a whisk until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 3: Knead the Dough

Put on gloves and begin kneading the dough by hand. If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour to your hands. Knead until the dough forms a soft, elastic ball, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 4: Rest the Dough

Cover the dough with a clean rag and let it rest in a warm place for 30 minutes. If in a cooler environment, let it rise for about an hour.

Step 5: Brown the Ground Beef

Place a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound of 80/20 ground chuck. Season the meat with 1 tablespoon of mesquite seasoning and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Break up the meat with a wooden spatula and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.

Step 6: Warm the Pinto Beans

Open one can of pinto beans and pour them into a small pot. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano (crumble it in). Stir and warm the beans through over low heat, about 5 minutes.

Step 7: Prepare Frying Oil

Pour 4-6 cups of peanut oil into a deep cast iron pot. Heat the oil to 350°F (≈175°C) (approximately 175°C).

Step 8: Incorporate Butter into Dough

Melt 1/2 stick of butter. Create a well in the center of the rested dough and pour in the melted butter. Knead the butter into the dough until fully incorporated and the dough is soft and pliable, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 9: Roll Out Frybread

Lightly flour a clean surface (like a cutting board). Take a portion of dough, slightly larger than a golf ball. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Repeat for all dough portions.

Step 10: Fry the Frybread

Carefully place a rolled-out dough piece into the preheated 350°F (≈175°C) (approximately 175°C) oil. If the dough puffs up too much, gently prick it with a fork to release air. Splash hot oil over the top. Fry until golden brown on both sides, turning as needed (about 1-2 minutes per side).

Step 11: Drain Frybread

Remove the cooked frybread with a slotted spoon or spider and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil.

Step 12: Prepare Fresh Toppings

Finely chop 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, dice 2 medium tomatoes, and dice 1/2 medium onion.

Step 13: Assemble Indian Tacos

Place a piece of frybread on a plate. Spoon a generous amount of warm pinto beans over it. Add a scoop of seasoned ground beef. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Step 14: Serve Sweet Frybread (Optional)

For a sweet version, dust frybread with powdered sugar and drizzle with honey or maple syrup.

Step 15: Enjoy

Serve immediately and enjoy your Indian Tacos or sweet frybread.

• Always start with less water for dough and add more if needed.

• Don't over-knead the dough to prevent it from drying out.

• Drain excess grease from ground beef.

• Crumble oregano to unlock more flavor.

• Check oil temperature periodically.

• Prick frybread with a fork if it puffs too much.

• Don't walk away while frying, it happens quickly.

• Sweet Frybread: powdered sugar, honey, maple syrup, fruit, whipped cream.