Navajo Tacos

Originating in the southwestern states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, Navajo tacos are a type of Native American snack food served at rodeos, fairs, gatherings, powwows, and even Southwest fast food restaurants. Instead of using tortillas as in a typical Mexican taco, the Navajo taco starts out with a sopaipilla (also known as Navajo fry bread). A sopaipilla is made from wheat dough that is shaped into a plate-sized flat disk and deep-fried in lard. Once fried, the sopaipilla is topped with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, scallion, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and taco sauce or salsa. The origins of the Navajo taco reflect the diversity of southwestern cuisine. The beans, tomato, oregano, and cilantro used in the dish are Aztec ingredients brought to the region from Mexico by Spanish conquistadores, while the use of flour and lard is a Spanish contribution. The chilies used to make the salsa for the taco are native to the area, as are the preparation techniques. Currently, the Navajo taco is sold throughout the Southwest at the Mexican fast food restaurant chain Taco Time. The Navajo Nation has not given consent for the use of its name in selling the product.