Recipe: American Indian Fry Bread
Fry Bread became inextricably intertwined with Native American culture, feelings toward colonialization and displacement, and pride in a people's and culture's resilience. According to Smithsonian Magazine, for many Native Americans, “fry bread links generation with generation and also connects the present to the painful narrative of Native American history.”
CALEB POSTON
MCO Assignment Editor
Thanksgiving. When you hear that, which food do you think about? Turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole (gag), green bean casserole (audible gag), mashed potatoes — the list goes on.
Which food do you likely not think about? American Indian Fry Bread. You might not have ever heard of it. Before I go any further and share one of my family’s staple recipes, here is a little context.
As someone who spent many days of my childhood in Oklahoma, Native American culture has always been a prominent part of my life. When we played Cowboys vs. Indians, I always sided with the Indians (unless it was Doc Holliday).
I had the “Fighting Terrorism since 1492” T-shirt. I can nail a Native American chant – though I’m not allowed to anymore (more on that later). Dances with Wolves and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee were on my DVD shelf beside Legends of the Fall (one of the movies that started my Brad Pitt obsession). If it involved Native Americans, I was all in.
I even thought I was part Native American. We all did. My grandparents and my parents’ grandparents said so. They even said we were related to Sequoyah. They would know, right?
At the end of long trips to Oklahoma, after hours of Metallica’s Black Album blaring in my ears, we always stopped at the Indian Store in Sallisaw, Okla. In this store, I would tap into my Native American heritage. I bought memorabilia to put on my shelf; I bought stuff to learn the Cherokee language.
I even bought two Indian Flutes (and learned to play) and an authentic peace pipe (though I’ve never used it – promise). I loved being part — even a small part — Native American.
Alas, I got my DNA checked. I’m white. I’m as white as one can be – almost clear, really. Mostly English, with some Scottish and Swedish for good measure and a little Irish and German topping it off.
That’s why I can’t do those chants anymore. And Tristan Ludlow and I were both white dudes pretending to be Native American.
Still, this American Indian Fry Bread recipe is a staple in the Poston family. It’s not something you see every Sunday dinner, but it’s come up time and time again over the years — and I’m gonna try to get my mom to make it this Thanksgiving. The Native Americans are just as central to the story of Thanksgiving as the colonists, so their cuisine should also be enjoyed.
I don’t cook. I hate cooking – not even sure why I’m writing about a recipe. So I’m not going to explain how to cook it. Just check out the recipe image; it has all the ingredients and steps for this simple yet tasty dish that works well with mashed potatoes and gravy, with taco meat and cheese on top, or even as a Lone Ranger dish.
This recipe is from a book published in Tryon, Okla., many decades ago. The lady who provided the recipe, Alice Sine, was a full Cherokee woman and a close friend of my grandmother. My mom, who was raised on Iowa tribal lands, grew up with Sine’s recipes, and this one has survived to this day.
So check it out. At most, you’ll discover a new family staple. At the least, you’ll tap into our nation’s cultural heritage and bring in a little Native American cuisine this Thanksgiving.
INGREDIENTS
• Approximately 3 cups of flour
• 2 cups of water or milk
• 2 tsp. of baking powder
• 1 tsp. of salt
• Pinch of sugar
• Approximately 3 Tbsp. of lard
DIRECTIONS
• Mix all ingredients to form a workable dough.
• Heat 2 cups of lard in a large frying pan. (Be sure the lard does not get too hot!)
• Fry patties of bread until golden brown on both sides.
