Frybread Power

An important Choctaw tradition, like with many other tribes, is the passing on of recipes to other members of the tribe. Growing up on the rez or in an area with a large Native population, you were sure to have had what I'm going to share with you. Warning: this may be delicious! On a serious note, please make sure that you are not allergic to any ingredients and feel free to supplement how you normally would when cooking at home if you do have allergies.

One thing many tribes have in common is the consumption of frybread. There are memes dedicated to this delicious food item, and nearly everybody tweets about it and eats it. There are restaurants that serve fry bread as a main course - fry bread taco, Indian taco, Navajo taco: it has many names but it is loved the same - and as a desert. The best thing about frybread is that it can easily be made at home and the internet has different recipes ready for anyone who is wanting to learn how to make it.

Ingredients

• Dry yeast: 1pk
• Flour: 3 cups
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Milk OR water: 1 cup
• Frying oil: 1/2 cup
• Toppings of your choice!

Directions

1. Dissolve your yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Add salt and sugar, then sit for 5 minutes covered with a towel.
2. Add the 2 tbsp of oil and then add 1 cup of flour at a time.
3. Knead into a dough for 15 minutes, then leave to set in a greased bowl for 30 minutes.
4. Wipe down your counter or place down a cutting board to turn the dough into a well-floured rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick.
5. Cut the dough board into squares and slit down the middle. These can be made any size you desire. Alternatively: Roll a ball of dough to about 8 inches (enough to completely fill a plate)
6. Fry the dough and serve hot. Top with syrup or honey and powdered sugar as a traditional desert fry bread or top with strawberries or other fruit and whip cream. You can even use taco toppings like beans, meat, cheese, or whatever else you prefer.

Dig in and enjoy! For more Choctaw recipes please visit the Choctaw Nation website.

_{*This article was written and submitted for Mibba's Culture Month Event Challenge.
**Photo taken by article author at Firelake Frybread in Oklahoma. Source.}