When my grandma makes fry bread and asks me to help her, I go to the big bowl of flour and run my fingers through the soft, silky white flour. I see her come back with a pot of warm water; I put my hands in, feeling how soft it is one last time until she pours in the water. I start mixing with my hands; at first it feels almost gooey and slippery. As I keep mixing, it turns really sticky until my grandma has to add some more flour to the mixture. I look down at it; it looks really soft and a little bit lumpy on the top, and has a very light beige color to it. I’m a little sad I have to take my hands out…. But I do. My grandma gets a lid from under the sink and lets it sit for about 15 minutes.
When my grandma uncovers it, it smells like dirt after it rains. She takes a small piece, kneading it until it gets a little bigger than her palm. She then starts flipping it back and forth on her hands in circular motions. I stand next to her watching; every time she flips it, I can still smell the scent of rain, as a slight breeze goes across my face. As she does that, she asks me to get the lard and a frying pan, and to heat up the pan with some lard in it. I do as she says; when the dough is ready to be put in, I can hear the crackling sounds of the grease. When she puts in the dough, she leaves it until the bottom of it turns into a crispy golden brown; as it cooks, I can smell it cooking into perfection. When it’s done she comes back and slowly flips it on the other side; as she does it, the scent gets stronger.
When it’s done, she takes it out, carefully putting it in a bowl while making some more. I tear off a small piece. I hold it in my hand, feeling the warmth on my skin; I take a bite, feeling how soft it is on the inside and how crispy it is on the outside. When she’s done making all the fry bread, the whole family comes to the table, waiting to be dished out some mutton stew with a piece of fry bread. Everyone is laughing, talking, smiling, and having such a nice time. Even the smallest things like making meals can make everyone so happy.
-Lauralyn (Navajo), age 14, is from Sawmill AZ and is passionate about volleyball, and frybread 🙂 I love BTS. I have a best friend named Maddie. I go to school at St Michaels Indian School and I have three cats Pepper, JoJo and Bonnie.
