Native American Fry Bread (Zaasakokwaan)

Yum, yum, yum!  I love fry bread plain as can be.  I love fry bread as a base for tacos.  I love fry bread with powdered sugar.  I love fry bread nice and warm with peanut butter... super duper fattening, but quite a nice treat!  This is my personal fry bread recipe, however, there is a family recipe that includes powdered milk and lard... not very vegan!  Fry bread was first made from commodities given to the Native American people when they were forced onto reservations, without resources, and had to live on government provided commodities, including flour, powdered milk, butter and such.  Fry bread is not something I feel my ancestors would have eaten prior to the European invasion, however, I preserve the tradition of it because it is important to my family.

4 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 packages of Rapid Rise Yeast
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Soy Milk
1 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp Earth Balance

1 quart (or less, depending on pan size) of vegetable oil

Makes: 10 medium sized pieces

1: Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in bowl.  Set aside.

2: Heat soy milk, water, Earth Balance until moderately warm

3: Add to dry mixture and mix for a few minutes, slowly adding an additional cup of flour until dough is thick enough to knead
4: Knead dough on well floured surface, adding up to an additional cup of flour until dough is smooth and does not stick to your fingers
5: Put in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes

6: Heat vegetable oil on medium heat

7: Add circular shapes of dough with a slight hole in the middle to the oil (very carefully!)

8: Flip when they are lightly brown

9: Strain them on paper towels to soak up the oil and serve immediately while warm