Indian Fry Bread Tacos with Bison

Indian Taco- Oops, forgot the cheese! This is my favorite way to eat a taco. You could attempt to fold it, like a taco, but it's easier to use a fork.

When my kids were growing up, one of our favorite summertime outings, was going to any All-Nations Powwow, that came to our area.
Being part-Blackfoot, Cherokee, and Nez Perce, I wanted them to learn about, and take pride in their heritage.
OK... I went for the fry bread, and Indian tacos, too! These are pretty much the same toppings as a Mexican taco, except I use bison, the fry bread makes these unique, and really good. Buffalo meat is lower in fat and cholesterol, than beef. It has a very similar taste, and is not gamey, like venison can be.
Here's a link for The National Bison Association. There's a lot of info, plus a vendor search for bison retailers. 
When I was a kid, there were a few months, when our grocer stocked beefalo.This is a crossbreed of wild buffalo, and domestic cattle. Those were the tenderest, most flavorful steaks and roast, I have ever had. If you're lucky enough to live near a breeder, you really should give it a try. The best way I can describe it is, it tastes like beef, but beefier. It has an almost, buttery taste too. I can only find ground bison now, and pay $9.00lb. So I don't make these with bison, very often, and use ground chuck instead.

(It's better, to have all the toppings prepared ahead of time, then make the fry bread last.)

Ingredients:

1 small can of re-fried beans
4oz.can of green chilies
1 recipe guacamole
jar of taco sauce or salsa
sour cream
1lb ground bison
1/2cup water
1/2 of an envelope of taco seasoning
diced tomatoes
shredded lettuce
scallions
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 recipe Indian fry bread

Preparation:
In a small bowl, combine the re-fried beans and green chilies. Set aside.
Prepare the guacamole.Refrigerate until needed.
Prepare the lettuce, tomato, and scallions. refrigerate until needed.
In a skillet, brown and chop the bison. Drain fat, if any, and return it to the skillet.
Add the water and taco seasoning to the bison, and simmer until the water has evaporated.
Prepare the Fry bread.
On a warm piece of bread, spread a layer of the bean mixture, followed by a layer of guacamole, a drizzle of taco sauce, sour cream, bison, then lettuce, tomato, scallions and cheese.
And good luck, trying to eat the whole thing!

Indian Fry Bread

My rating: Really like it.

         Fry bread with powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, and honey.

 Indian Fry Bread making, has it's roots in an American tragedy. The Trail of tears. Being nomadic, hunter gatherers, they had no farming skills, and were completely dependent on government commodities.  Fry bread became a staple, for survival. Today it is a beloved tradition, still in practice.
When I would take my kids to a Powwow, the first scent I detected was burning sage. ( A spiritual offering ) Then the wonderful aroma of fry bread. It can be eaten as is, or with powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, or honey. This tradition has evolved into another popular powwow staple...Indian tacos with bison

Ingredients: Makes 4
2cups flour
2tsp. baking powder
1/2tsp. salt
1/4cup powdered milk
1cup water
oil for frying- I love the taste of these fried in corn oil

Preparation
In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients.
Add the water, and work it into the dough, with your hands, adding a bit more flour as necessary to form a soft dough that isn't sticky.
In a skillet, begin heating about 1 inch of oil, on medium heat. Meanwhile...
Split the dough into 4 pieces, and pat one into a circle, with your hands.
Keep patting and gently stretching the dough until it is very thin.
Here's a video, that shows how the dough is worked Cooking fry bread in Monument Valley.
I can never get my dough to look like this video, it must take, lots of practice.
I poke a tiny hole in the center of the bread before adding it to the oil. it allows it to cook more evenly.
Fry the bread, have a fork handy to poke holes into any large air bubbles that form.
Brown lightly on both sides. Fry bread cooks very quickly. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.