Post by Okwes on Dec 21, 2006 11:35:21 GMT -5
Navajo Fry Bread History
As with many cultures around the world, Native Americans have an all-purpose
flat bread that is a staple of their cuisine. Dry bread is considered a food
of intertribal unity and is made at all Indian powwows. The dough is a
variation of that used for flour tortillas, consisting of wheat flour, shortening,
salt, and water, leavened with baking powder or yeast. Navajo Fry Bread is a
tradition Arizona and New Mexico, and fry bread with honey butter is a
specialty in New Mexico.
Although considered a "traditional food," Navajo fry bread actually evolved
in the mid-19th century. Beginning in 1860, approximately 8,000 Navajos spent
four years imprisoned at fort Summer, New Mexico and were given little more
than white flour and lard to eat. American scout Kit Carson and his troops
drove the Navajo people from their lands by destroying their means of survival.
They killed sheep, goats, and horses; poisoned wells; burned orchards and
crops; and destroyed shelters and anything else that was of value to the
Navajo. Carson and his troops then rounded up thousands of starving Navajo and sent
them on the "Long Walk" to Fort Sumner at Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. This
was truly one of the saddest events in United States history.
The U.S. government provided those on the reservation with wheat flour as
part of a commodities program. Because of this, lard and wheat flour became the
main ingredients in the making of Navajo fry bread. The Navajo women had to
make the best of what was often considered poor-quality rations in
reservation camps and the varying availability of government-issued commodities. They
thus created fry bread.
____________________________________
Indian Tacos
Indian fry bread is the foundation of a popular dish called Indian Tacos.
Originally known as Navajo Tacos, they have been adopted by other tribes. The
Navajo taco was voted the State Dish of Arizona in a 1995 poll conducted by
the Arizona Republic newspaper.
Indian tacos are the universal modern powwow food (see below). They are also
popular attractions at many fairs, festivals, and outdoor summer shows held
in the southwest. People will line up to wait their turn to buy some freshly
made tacos.
Indian tacos are a combination of beans or ground beef, chopped lettuce,
sliced tomato, shredded Cheddar cheese, and optional green chile atop
plate-sized rounds of crispy Navajo or Indian fry bread. No plates or silverware are
need, as you just fill the fry bread with your desired filling, roll it up, and
eat
As with many cultures around the world, Native Americans have an all-purpose
flat bread that is a staple of their cuisine. Dry bread is considered a food
of intertribal unity and is made at all Indian powwows. The dough is a
variation of that used for flour tortillas, consisting of wheat flour, shortening,
salt, and water, leavened with baking powder or yeast. Navajo Fry Bread is a
tradition Arizona and New Mexico, and fry bread with honey butter is a
specialty in New Mexico.
Although considered a "traditional food," Navajo fry bread actually evolved
in the mid-19th century. Beginning in 1860, approximately 8,000 Navajos spent
four years imprisoned at fort Summer, New Mexico and were given little more
than white flour and lard to eat. American scout Kit Carson and his troops
drove the Navajo people from their lands by destroying their means of survival.
They killed sheep, goats, and horses; poisoned wells; burned orchards and
crops; and destroyed shelters and anything else that was of value to the
Navajo. Carson and his troops then rounded up thousands of starving Navajo and sent
them on the "Long Walk" to Fort Sumner at Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. This
was truly one of the saddest events in United States history.
The U.S. government provided those on the reservation with wheat flour as
part of a commodities program. Because of this, lard and wheat flour became the
main ingredients in the making of Navajo fry bread. The Navajo women had to
make the best of what was often considered poor-quality rations in
reservation camps and the varying availability of government-issued commodities. They
thus created fry bread.
____________________________________
Indian Tacos
Indian fry bread is the foundation of a popular dish called Indian Tacos.
Originally known as Navajo Tacos, they have been adopted by other tribes. The
Navajo taco was voted the State Dish of Arizona in a 1995 poll conducted by
the Arizona Republic newspaper.
Indian tacos are the universal modern powwow food (see below). They are also
popular attractions at many fairs, festivals, and outdoor summer shows held
in the southwest. People will line up to wait their turn to buy some freshly
made tacos.
Indian tacos are a combination of beans or ground beef, chopped lettuce,
sliced tomato, shredded Cheddar cheese, and optional green chile atop
plate-sized rounds of crispy Navajo or Indian fry bread. No plates or silverware are
need, as you just fill the fry bread with your desired filling, roll it up, and
eat