Pumpkin Fry Bread

4 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cubed

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup warm milk

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups lard or vegetable oil for frying

Cover the pumpkin with water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the pumpkin, and mash to a smooth texture.

Stir the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients in the flour mixture, and stir together to make a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead a few times until thoroughly combined. Don t over knead the dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.

Heat the lard over medium heat in a large heavy skillet until it shimmers. Break off egg-sized pieces of the dough, pat them out flat into rough circles about 4 inches across and 1/4 inch thick, and fry, turning once, until the dough puffs up and begins to brown at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Push the fry bread into the oil to help it puff. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot.