In a previous blog I gave suggestions about where to find the best tortillas in Tucson. In that blog I failed to tell people how to make their own tortillas which is so simple and cheap. The number of tortillas you want to make will determine the measurements used of the ingredients.

Here are the ingredients needed corn tortillas:
Corn Masa
salt
hot water

Mix these all together in a bowl to make dough. You want the dough to be moist and sticky but not too sticky. Once the dough is made you roll it into smooth balls the size of a golf ball. Then you put it in a tortilla press. If you don't have a tortilla press you can use a rolling pin. Then place on a cast iron pan that has been pre-heated at medium-high for about 45 seconds, flip the tortilla over and leave for another 45 seconds. Place on a plate and cover them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.



Here are the ingredients for flour tortillas:
white flour
baking soda
salt
vegetable oil or lard
warm water

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the vegetable oil or lard and little by little add the warm water so that the dough is soft and not sticky. Knead the dough for a few minutes. While kneading the dough pre-heat the cast iron pan to about medium high. Again, roll pieces of the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Let the dough sit for about 10 minutes or so. Then take the balls and put flour on them lightly and begin flattening them until they are thin with a rolling pin. Place them on the cast iron pan and flip them until they have brown speckles on each side.

They are simple, inexpensive to make, essential to almost any Mexican dish and delicious. Take a shot at making them and you won't be disappointed.

One of many stands selling Indian Fry Bread
in front of the church

The end of holy week for the catholic religion resulted in many people visiting San Xavier del Bac Mission affectionately called "The White Dove of the Desert." It is south of Tucson and on the Tohono O'odham land. The church primarily serves the Tohono O'odham but is open to all for tours and services.

As soon as you pull into the parking lot one can immediately smell the Indian Fry bread being made and sold by multiple groups of people in the lot outside of the church.

I was surprised to find out that some of the people making the traditional Native American food had been doing this since they were seven years old. Two women, Caysee and Nita Smith, have continued the tradition of making and selling fry bread that began with their grandmother.

There are many different ways to make fry bread and many different things you can put in it.
The two women made their fry bread with a grill their brother made with a barrel when he was in high school. The ingredients they use are:
salt
flour
lard
powdered milk
baking soda

It is simple to make and rather inexpensive. People commonly put honey and powdered sugar on the bread. Traditionally fry bread is made at every powwow or gathering of Native Americans.


Fry bread was sold for $2 each




Woman making fry bread in grease