Navajo Fry Bread

When I was a kid we took a vacation to Arizona and spent some time on the Navajo Indian reservation, my parents had friends who were doing missionary work. I remember the red sand being everywhere and I remember going into the trading post. My father tried to talk an inebriated indian into showing us how to shoot a bow and arrow, let's just say it didn't end well. :) The  one thing that came out of this vacation was my mom learning how to make fry bread. My family loved this meal and last year when we went home for the holidays I made my mom make it for my kids. Not only did we learn to make this bread, but my mom also learned some folk lore concerning fry bread. When you make the dough and roll it out you are supposed to tear a small hole into the center of the bread, this is so evil spirits can escape. To this day I've never eaten a homemade piece of fry bread without a hole in it.

Ingredients for fry bread
4 c flour
2 TBSP baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 to 1 1/2 c warm water
vegetable oil

Mix 3 c flour and the rest of the dry ingredients well.  Add warm water.  Add the remaining flour little by little until the dough is soft but not sticky.  Knead.  Shape into golf ball size balls; flatten by hand or with floured rolling pin until 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. 
Heat oil in large frying pan until a drop of water dropped in sizzles. Tear small hole in center and cooking one at a time place in hot oil, turn after a few minutes. You want both sides to be golden brown, keep warm until ready to serve. 
To prepare tacos tear fry bread into bite sized pieces on dinner plate and smother with chili. Obviously you can make your own, but I'm using canned tonight. Then liberally top with toppings listed below. 

Toppings

Chili

Lettuce ( I mixed in some cilantro with my lettuce)

Shredded cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Sliced olives

Tabasco sauce
Salsa

Chopped avocados (we never at them this way, but I think avocados are awesome)

My "good" camera is having memory card issues, 

so I had to grab a different camera half way through making dough.

Sorry no pics of the dough making process

Heat oil

Add to hot oil

Turn so both sides are golden brown

Drain on paper towels 

Toppings

Ready to create your personalized taco

I like to tear mine into bite sized pieces

Add cheese

Chili

Add remaining toppings

Enjoy!