Tag Archive for: Native American

Navajo-Hopi tea | Greenthread tea

 

Navajo - Hopi Tea | Greenthread Tea

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Ingredients
  

  • Greenthread Tea
  • Water
  • Sugar or honey optional"

Instructions
 

  • Boil a bundle of herb/tream in 6 cups of water for 5 minutes.
  • Add sugar or honey if desired.

Notes

The Greenthread (Thelesperma Filifolium) herb is harvested as the flower buds open, cutting it at 2-3 inches above the soil to allow for regrowth in the next season. The cuttings are washed and then dried. The dried cuttings are folded into 4 inch bundles, weighing approx 6 grams each. 
Najavo Tea is available in bundles or in tea bags through Valley Trading Post or Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI)."

 

Navajo Red Sumac Berry Pudding (CHIIŁCHIN)

 

Navajo Red Sumac Berry Pudding | CHIIŁCHIN

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Course Dessert
Cuisine Apache

Equipment

  • Sauce pan
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Sieve
  • Whisk
  • Stovetop or hotplate
  • Large bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 T red sumac berries
  • ¼ cup cornmeal or flour
  • 2 T granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup water

Instructions
 

  • Pour 1 cup of water into sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  • Strain sumac berries through a sieve to remove excess.
  • Whisk sumac berries, cornmeal, sugar and salt in large bowl.
  • Add ¾ cup of water to mix and whisk.
  • Add mixture to boiling water in saucepan.
  • Cook for 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

The Diné (Navajo) communities enjoy pudding made out of red sumac berries called ""Chiiłchin."" The berries are picked, washed and sundried. The sumac berries are available through Valley Trading Post or Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI).

 

Navajo Blue Cornmeal Pancakes (Abe’ Bee Neesmasi)

 

Navajo Blue Cornmeal Pancakes (Abe' Bee Neesmasi)

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Course Breakfast
Cuisine Apache
Servings 10 pancakes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup roasted blue cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking powder or juniper ash
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 tsp cooking oil
  • Maple syrup or homemade jam for toppings optional

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together flour, blue cornmeal, baking powder or juniper ash, sugar, and salt in large bowl.
  • Add milk and stir.
  • Heat pan or griddle to medium heat.
  • Coat pan with cooking oil.
  • Use ladle to scoop approximately 1/4 cup of batter and pour into pan.
  • Flip pancake when bubbles form on the top.
  • Cook other side until golden brown.
  • Serve plain (traditional) or with optional toppings.

Notes

Juniper Ash is a traditional ingredient used in cooking among the Diné (Navajo) communities. Pancakes made with juniper ash will be denser and have a deeper purple color than those made with baking powder. Roasted blue corn and juniper ash are available through Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI).

 

Apache Frybread

 

Apache Frybread

Katie Rautenberg - Native American mission team
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Course side
Cuisine Apache
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • oil, shortening, or lard
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • warm water

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add water, little by little, as you knead the dry ingredients into a dough ball.
    When dough is smooth and elastic, separate the dough into about 6 balls (depending on the size frybreads you want).
    Put the balls into baking pan to rest and soften. Cover the dough ball pan with a clean dish towel to keep the dough moist.
  • Pour/place the oil, shortening or lard into a heavy pan--cast iron if available. Heat the one inch of oil on the stovetop until very hot and fumes are visible. You can test the oil by placing a bit of dough in the oil. If it browns (but doesn't burn) quickly, then it's ready.
    When the oil is hot, roll a dough ball out with a rolling pin into a flat circle as thick as the dough for a pie crust. Gently place the round, flat dough into the hot oil.
    Using a 2-pronged fork, lift the bread after 20 seconds to see if it's brown and ready to flip.
    When ready, carefully flip with the 2-pronged fork. Remove from oil and place on a plate covered with a paper towel.
    Place a new paper towel on top of the finished fry bread to prepare for the second piece.
    Alternate the frybread/paper towel layers until the last frybread is on top of your stack.
  • Serve frybread immediately with cooked pinto beans for a meal or honey or powdered sugar as a dessert.

Notes

I have never seen an Apache make fry bread using a recipe. As I've seen, it is always done by feel and sight. After 14 years in the White Mountains, a dear friend was finally able to give me the ingredients using cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons. Thank you, Joni! I added the other steps for nonnatives. Natives don't use a rolling pin.
Keyword apache, Frybread