Venison Fry Bread Tacos with Citrus Cabbage Slaw

Name: Venison Fry Bread Tacos with Citrus Cabbage Slaw
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H30M0.000S
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups warm water; 3 cups sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; Juice of 2 limes; 2 cups thinly shredded cabbage; 1 carrot, thinly shredded; 1/2 jalapeño with seeds, minced; 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced; Sunflower oil, for the skillet; 1/2 white onion, medium diced; 1 pound ground venison; One 15-ounce can black beans, drained; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon chile powder; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 cloves garlic, minced

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Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 30 min (includes resting time)
Active: 50 min

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

As a multi-cultural chef, there is nothing I love more than merging my favorite childhood dishes to create fun and exciting ways to serve nostalgic foods with a twist of fusion. Just like any great tacos, what makes these so good is the ratio of meat to tortilla – in this case fry bread – and FLAVOR! The toppings are just as important as the protein itself. These fusion tacos give you the perfect balance of spice and acidity from the slaw and the perfect bread for soaking up all the juices. There are various shapes and sizes of the beloved fry bread among Native American communities, but this particular size is best used specifically for tacos! Typically, this dish is known as the “Indian taco,” and is often sold at powwows and Native American gatherings. It’s usually the size of your head, mounted with ground beef and beans and topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream and picante salsa. If you’re lucky, you may find a vendor serving it with fresh chopped onion. I never understood why more Native vendors don’t use ingredients that highlight other traditional foods or proteins for this dish. On the journey to explore more of my own cultural foods, I’ve found wild game to have more versatility than is commonly seen on restaurant menus. Venison steaks are what you're likely to find on high-end American-French restaurant menus and were never associated with “Indian tacos.” Growing up I ate every part of the hunted animal due to my grandfather being a passionate hunter. Every year after deer hunting season in Kansas, without fail, he would bring over a cooler full of different cuts and ground deer meat wrapped in white butcher paper. We would store it in the freezer and use it throughout the year until we ran out or until the following deer season. If we had any leftover, we gifted it to friends or neighbors to make room for the newly hunted cuts. I grew up very humbly in the Midwest and survived a childhood full of struggle meals. I never recognized having freshly hunted wild game delivered to my doorstep as a privilege, but as an adult and seasoned chef, I know it is a treat! As mentioned, the toppings are just as important as the protein. This is where you can get creative and really build the SABOR (flavor) on the taco. From pickled toppings to freshly chopped cilantro, these are the supporting actors for this star dish. The pickled slaw adds acid, spice and everything needed to set your tastebuds on a trip to flavor town. It's the perfect complement to the hardiness of the beans and warm spiced venison.