Fry
breads use an alternative cooking method
that differentiates them from traditional
breads. Instead of baking, fry breads
are always fried in a pan or submerged
in hot oil, lard or other cooking liquids.
Because of this preparation method, fry
breads are usually small in size and puffy
with a crispy crust. Due to the high fat
content of oil and lard, fry breads are
not a staple food, and are usually reserved
for special occasions or desert.
There are recipes for fried bread from
all regions of the world, but some of
the most common ones in the United States
are Native American or Mexican, and use
corn flour or cornmeal. Many types of
fry breads use additional ingredients
for sweetening, such as sugar, honey,
nuts and berries. Fry bread is not very
common in restaurants, but is sometimes
served in various forms for desert in
ethnic restaurants.
In the United States, there has recently
been a great deal of controversy about
the historic role of fry bread in Native
American culture. The over-use of the
dish has been attributed to many tribal
health problems, but has deep historic
roots.
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