Greetings from Madison, WI:

In a workshop sponsored by Wunksheek (the Native American club at the University of Wisconsin – Madison) held at the Red Gym on May 4th, 2011, Ryan Young, a 19–year old Ojibway from Wisconsin, offered the following recipe and instructions for the preparation of frybread – a tasty Native-American dish that his grandmother taught him how to make.

Ingredients – Gold medal all purpose flour (2 cups), baking powder (2 tablespoons), water (2 cups), milk (1 cup), vegetable oil (½ bottle).

Preparation –

1) put two cups of all purpose flower into a mixing bowl;

2) make a cavity in the mixture and add two cups of tap water; and 1 cup of milk at room temperature [Note that if the milk is cold it should be heated in a microwave for about 20 seconds);

3) mix with hands to obtain a sticky mass;

4) add more flour if necessary for consistency (i.e. so as it is not too sticky) and mix in;

5)  add more dry flour on top and allow to sit a while to breathe;

6) pre-heat vegetable oil in a frying pan;

7) make small paddies out of the dough (like a hamburger) and put a small hole in the center so that the paddy will fry well on the inside; 8) put the paddy in the frying pan and brown on one side; 9) turn the paddy over to brown on the other side [this may be done twice];

10) remove from the flame and allow to cool somewhat;

11) eat as is or serve with butter, apple butter, or apple sauce. Ummm, ummm good!

12) Note that the fry bread can also be used to make Squaw Dogs by wrapping the dough around a hot dog before frying. It can also be used to make Indian Tacos.