Fried buns are breads created by the Navajo Indians that are popular throughout the American Southwest. These chewy, crunchy fries can be found at Pow Wows, a eatery and truck stop, and both places are the heart of the famous Navajo tacos. The dough is made slowly and allowed to stand for a while, then fried in heated lard and prepared with a sweet or savory topping. See Step 1 and beyond for instructions on making warm fried bread at home.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons powdered milk
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- Pork fat, vegetable oil or vegetable fat
- Sprinkles: honey, sugar, butter, taco meat, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and more.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making Bread Dough
Step 1. Mix dry ingredients
Place flour, baking powder, milk powder and salt in a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients completely. Create an empty space in the middle of the mixture.
Step 2. Add warm water
Pour warm water into the space in the middle.
Step 3. Mix the dough
Use a wooden spoon to mix the water with the flour until you have a wet, sticky dough. You can use your hands instead of a spoon if you want. Knead the dough slowly. Stirring too long will cause the finished fried bread to turn tough.
Step 4. Let the dough rise
When the mixture is combined, shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Place a clean napkin over the bowl and place the bowl in a warm, dry place so the dough can rise for 10 minutes.
The dough does not need to be left for more than 10 minutes. The dough should be used for less than an hour or two and then fried. Fried bread won't taste good if you leave it overnight
Step 5. Divide the dough into several parts
Pull the dough apart into small pieces, and shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball using the heel of your hand to form a loaf of bread that is about the size of a tortilla.
- At this stage do not over-knead the dough. Squeeze just enough to create the texture you need.
- If you wish, you can flatten the entire dough ball and use a cutter or knife to cut each piece of dough.
- When processing, place the dough on a plate and place a napkin on top of the dough to prevent the dough from drying out.
Part 2 of 3: Frying Fried Bread
Step 1. Heat the fat
Pour an appropriate size of lard, vegetable oil or vegetable fat into a cast-iron skillet or frying pan. You will need enough fat to fill the pan about 2.5 cm. Melt the fat over medium-high heat. Fat must be heated to 177 °C.
Step 2. Test for fat
Put a small amount of dough in the frying pan to see if the fat is hot enough. The bread will sizzle and start to bubble immediately. Make sure the fat is hot enough before you start frying the bread.
Step 3. Place the dough pieces into the frying pan
Make sure the dough doesn't overlap, or it won't cook evenly.
Step 4. Fry each side for 2 to 4 minutes
When the first side is crispy and golden brown, use tongs to flip the bread over and finish frying the other side.
Step 5. Transfer the bread to a plate lined with paper towels
The towels will absorb the excess oil after you finish frying the bread.
Part 3 of 3: Serving Fried Bread
Step 1. Serve immediately
Fried bread is most delicious when it's still hot. Eat the fried bread straight away, or top it with one of the following toppings:
- Butter and honey mixture
- Powdered sugar
- Cinnamon.
Step 2. Make the Navajo tacos
If you want more of a challenge, use fried bread to make a traditional sandwich. Fill the fried buns with some or all of the ingredients for making tacos:
- Ground beef cooked with taco seasoning
- Chopped lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chopped onions
- Pinto beans
- sour cream
- green chili
- Salsa (taco sauce).
Tips
- Do not let lumps in the dough.
- Don't knead the dough too much or the bread will be tough.
- The slices of fried bread can be any size you want.
- Put in the fried bread slowly, you definitely don't want it to be splashed with oil or a fire occurs.
- Place the dough bowl in the oven (off) and place a towel over it to speed up the process. Take care that the dough doesn't rise past the bowl.
- A whisk works faster and more efficiently than a spoon.
