Advanced......Fry bread ….
The difference
between advanced and basic is small, but it was pointed out that I did not
include an advanced fry bread …
A staple around the world and known under various names.
While this is not a political blog, this bread has political baggage. On Indian reservations in the United States,
particularly in the Navajo Nation.
My connection was with my uncle-in-law, a
full-blooded member of the tribe. Mainly, he taught the proper way to appreciate
whiskey.
The smell, small sip,
and savor to try to pick out the notes of the whisky. He told me any idiot can
mix it with coke.
Of course, he would
also speak of the reservation and evil white people of yesteryear or any random
topic depending on whiskey intake... Once, he spoke at length about flatbread,
which started as a food of last resort and became ingrained in the culture,
then flipped over to BBQ and cooking in general.
But I digress…….
1 part flour + a
quarter part water + one third tsp of salt + two tsp baking powder
Example: 2 1/3 cups
of white flour (292 grams, plus a bit of
flour for rolling out.))
1/3 teaspoon table
salt (about 1.64 g; don’t exceed 2/3 teaspoon of salt)
2 teaspoons (9.58 g.)
Baking powder
3/4 cup of room
temperature milk (177.4412 ml., at least 2% milk; whole is better.)
3 cups vegetable oil
or shortening/lard (360 grams, enough for at least a depth of 1 inch for frying)
1 Egg (Optional)
1 tablespoon of sugar (12.5 gm.)
If you don’t have baking powder, use 1 packet of
yeast (7 gm.) and add an additional tablespoon of sugar for a total of (25
gm.)
Want it sweet? Add 1
/ 2 cup of honey (170 gm.) Optional.
Mixing
Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a
bowl. Mix well to blend.
Add the milk, sugar, and optional ingredients, and stir until the
dough holds together.
Knead 2 or 3 times on
a floured surface. (Don’t knead too much)
If adding yeast, knead longer and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Cover the dough with a
damp kitchen towel while you work with each piece. Let them rest for 10-15-20 minutes. (My Uncle told me his mother would keep the
dough resting all day, and they would use it as needed.)
While you are
waiting…
In a deep, 10-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy pan/saucepan,
heat about 1 inch of oil to 350 F/176 C.
If you misplaced your deep-fry thermometer, you can take a pinch of dough and drop it
in.
It should sizzle and float to the top, and start browning. An
alternative method is to drop in a kernel of popcorn; it will pop around 325/330
Also, a wooden spoon placed in the hot oil will form bubbles around it at a moderate/fast pace when the oil reaches 350; if the bubbles churn, it's too hot.
The ideal oil temperature
for most frying is between 350 and 365 F.
(Pro tip: If the oil starts to smoke or is too hot, remove it
from the heat, turn the heat down, and place the pan on heat again.)
(Pro tip 2: Before you start, plan how to put
out a fire. Most people have a pan lid nearby to cover the burning oil.
Basically smothering the fire…..Do not throw water on a grease fire as grease
floats and burning grease also floats.)
(Pro tip 3: after your grease cools and if (if) you want to
dispose of it. Pour it into a container and dispose of it in the trash (in a
few places, the local gov will have a disposal area) DO NOT POUR it in the sink…..Unless you want
an unbelievably high plumber repair bill)
Roll the dough to a 6-inch (give or take) circle using a rolling pin on a well-floured surface.
If the dough is
sticky, add half a teaspoon of flour until it is workable.
(Practice makes
perfect)
Roll the pieces out into disk shapes about 1/4 to
1/2 inch thick. Make two cuts about 3-4 inches long in the center, poke a hole in it, or make a depression in the center that almost goes through.
(This keeps the bread from forming into a ball.)
Cooking
Fry on each side for
one to two minutes and place in a paper towel-lined bowl to drain.
How long can Fry Bread be kept?
Keep the finished fry bread warm in the oven when cooking a larger batch.
Place paper towels on a cookie sheet, then place a cooling
rack on that and place the bread on that.
This will keep the bread from getting greasy and soggy.
What to do with it?
Make pizza, and brush lightly with olive oil. Top with your
favorite pizza toppings and bake on a pizza stone or preheated sheet pan.
Make a wrap with it.
Fill the naan with thinly sliced beef, onions, cheese, Taco ingredients,
etc.
Make your favorite sandwich with it, ham and cheese, peanut
butter and Jelly, egg salad, scrambled eggs with chopped bacon, etc ...
Cut it into squares, brush with olive oil, and bake on a
sheet pan until crisp for a delicious dipping chip for salsa or spicy bean dip.
Serve warm with melted butter, or better yet, in the
microwave or stovetop (over low heat).
Melt the butter, stir in finely chopped parsley, and brush
on warm Naan. You can add a bit of crushed garlic to the butter also, for added
flavor.
As a side note, A crispy fry bread that became known as sopaipilla in Spanish is just a fry bread cut square.
Sopaipilla is best served with honey and/or powdered sugar
and cinnamon.
Last note: You will find a thousand variations on how to
make these on the internet.
Practice, and you
will find one that suits you. After the
practice, you will look like you have done this all your life.
According to the internet, for nutrition information.
Yield 8
Serving Size1
Amount Per Serving Calories 365
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 4g
Trans Fat 0g
Unsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 25mg
Sodium 172mg
Carbohydrates 42g
Fiber 1g
Sugar 3g
Protein 8g
Potassium 171mg
Calcium 68%
Vitamin A 77%
niacin: 1.5mg 12 %
folate: 38mcg 9 %
That said, please review the Nutrition Disclaimer; there are
too many variables to give an accurate list of the nutritional value of
anything. I suggest you read the package to better understand what is in your
food. Again, see the Nutrition Disclaimer.
copyright © 2023 Donald Watson All Rights Reserved.
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