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Pumpkin Fry Bread

© Astralfrog: astralfrog@diaryland.com

My recipes come from all over - and I receive them in various ways, and the way this recipe was presented to me was unique. I met this guy named Astralfrog in a chat I have frequented, who's a single dad, Native American Artist. We got to talking about food one night, and we talked about Indian Fry Bread. The recipe he gave me sounded really good.

If you are interested at all in the concept of online diaries, this man's diary is one to certainly give a whirl. He pairs humor and life together like one would a fine wine, and 7 course feast, fit for a King. It's a diary that's worth a read.

I asked him about the history behind Indian Fry Bread, and the following is what he shared with me:

"Fry bread was, as far as I know, a Navajo tradition. But since the Europeans came, a lot of Indian nations have banded together, - both politically and culturally. One of the things that came out of that was swapping and adapting recipes. Some tribes add potatoes to their recipe, some add yams: whatever was abundant in their part of the country. Pumpkins grow well here, so our grandparents incorporated that into our version. Even though the recipe is relatively new, it symbolizes (to me) the different first nations newfound peace and friendship with one another. This is a dessert recipe, and the family would gather together after dinner to make it, the preparation is as much a part of enjoying it as the eating. We never miss an opportunity to let the little kids get their hands in the dough, and always make it fun. :-)" - Astralfrog

Pumpkin Fry bread

I believe, (I could be wrong, though) that the Navajo invented fry bread. But in modern times other nations have adopted and adapted the recipe to their liking. This is my grandmother's dessert recipe spin-off.

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour, plus 1-2 cups for kneading
2 cups cooked, mashed, fresh pumpkin (or 1 16oz. can of pumpkin, for you lazy types)
1 tablespoon warm milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
Oil or shortening for frying

Directions:

Place 2 cups of flour in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, warm milk, and sugar. Make a well in the flour bowl and pour in the pumpkin mix. Knead until the texture is smooth. Form into a large ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. The balls can also be frozen for later, if you prefer.

Indian Fry Bread

The copyright of the article Pumpkin Fry Bread in Gourmet Recipes is owned by Astralfrog: astralfrog@diaryland.com. Permission to republish Pumpkin Fry Bread in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.