A round of deep-fried flour dough, blistered and chewy, topped with seasoned ground beef or beans, shredded cheddar, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, and sour cream. The fry bread base gives way under pressure, combining the crunch of the exterior with a soft, slightly yeasty interior. It is larger and more filling than a flour tortilla taco by a considerable margin.
Fry bread was created in the 1860s when the U.S. government relocated the Navajo Nation and provided commodity rations including white flour, sugar, salt, and lard. Native cooks developed fry bread from these limited ingredients. The dish spread across Native American communities in Oklahoma, and the Indian taco version emerged at fairs and festivals in the 20th century. It is now a staple of Oklahoma state fair culture and is found at pow-wows and Native American food stands across the region.
