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Navajo tacos
Fry bread topped with beef and bean chili, lettuce and cheese
AmericanNavajo tacos, also called Indian tacos, are what the queues are for at powwows, state fairs and roadside stands across the Navajo Nation and the Four Corners. A freshly fried, crisp-edged fry bread is piled with beef and pinto bean chili, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese, and eaten with a knife and fork. Chef's tip: make the chili first and fry the bread last, so it is still crisp when the toppings go on.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chili
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ⅛ lb beef mince
- 1 oniondiced
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ⅛ lb cooked pinto beansdrained
- 14 oz tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
For the fry bread
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm water
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
To top
- 5 ½ oz shredded lettuce
- 2 tomatoesdiced
- 4 oz grated cheddar
- ½ oniondiced
- ½ cup salsaopt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Brown the 1 ⅛ lb beef mince in the 1 tbsp vegetable oil for 8 minutes, add the 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic for 4 minutes, then the 1 tbsp chili powder and 1 tsp ground cumin. Add the 1 ⅛ lb cooked pinto beans, 14 oz tinned chopped tomatoes and 1 tsp salt and simmer 20 minutes until thick, the mince cooked well past 160°F.
32 minStep 2: Mix the 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt with the ¾ cup warm water to a soft dough and rest 15 minutes. Divide into 6 balls.
18 minStep 3: Heat 3 cm of 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a heavy pan to 350°F. Stretch each ball by hand into a 16 cm round, poke a small hole in the centre and fry 1–1½ minutes a side until puffed and golden. Drain.
12 minStep 4: Top each fry bread with chili, 5 ½ oz shredded lettuce, 2 tomatoes, 4 oz grated cheddar, ½ onion and ½ cup salsa. A common mistake is letting the bread sit under hot chili for long; serve straight away.
4 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does navajo tacos take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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