Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations: Traditional and Contemporary Native American Recipes [A Cookbook]

by Lois Ellen Frank

In this gloriously photographed book, renowned photographer and Native American–food expert Lois Ellen Frank, herself part Kiowa, presents more than 80 recipes that are rich in natural flavors and perfectly in tune with today's healthy eating habits. Frank spent four years visiting reservations in the Southwest, documenting time-honored techniques and recipes. With the help of culinary advisor and Navajo Nation tribesman Walter Whitewater, a chef in Santa Fe, Frank has adapted the traditional recipes to modern palates and kitchens. Inside you'll find such dishes as Stuffed Tempura Chiles with Fiery Bean Sauce, Zuni Sunflower Cakes, and Prickly Pear Ice. With its wealth of information, this book makes it easy to prepare and celebrate authentic Native American cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Awards2003 James Beard Award WinnerReviews“A stunning new cookbook." —Accent West“[A] wonderful introduction to America's oldest cuisine.”—Phoenix magazine “One of the most stunning books of the year.”—Austin American Statesman “Gorgeous . . . exceptional.”—New Age Retailer

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, History, Indigenous, Native American

208 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2002

Reviews

[Samantha]

RW 2020 Task 21: A Book about Food

RH 2020 Task 13: Read a food book about a cuisine you’ve never tried before

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, Navajo Tacos! One of the things I miss most about living in the Four Corners was eating the yummy Navajo Tacos for lunch. There are some great recipes in this book with some of my favorite ingredients--I think the prickly pear syrup and blue cornmeal hotcakes are delicious--but my favorite recipe is the fry bread for tacos. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them, dip them in melted butter, or serve them with traditional taco toppings; fry bread is divine.

[LaSheba Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good! Dr. Lois Ellen Frank is a Culinary-Cultural Anthropologist who studies Native American Indians. She wrote this book some years back, while in her PhD program. The desire to know more about Native American culture would influence her research path and lead to the study of the Navajo (Diné), Apache, Pueblo, and Hopi of the American Southwest.

The author has found that several cultural food traditions were passed down to each generation from ancient indigenous groups. These traditions include the use of wild greens and herbs, ancient grinding stones, and baking in earthen ovens.

The book has six chapters on different food groups of the Native American Indian cuisine. The chapter “Chiles: The Spice of Life” was a favorite. Dr. Lois Ellen Frank writes about the history, different varieties, and cultivation of chiles. She mentions a fun anecdote told to her by a friend: “In their family, they never cook with chiles when they are angry because it makes the chiles even hotter.” This chapter has recipes for Fresh Green Chile Soup with Tumbleweed Greens and Batter-Dipped Chiles with Fiery Bean Sauce.

This was an enjoyable book that allows the reader to get a glimpse of the history, culture, and cuisine of the Southwestern Indian Nations. A very good read!


🌷Quotes:

"Corn is important not only as a food source, but also because its pollen is used in every girl’s coming-of-age ceremony."

"Native American hunts are never done for sport, but rather game is hunted for its meat and skins."

[Book Nibbler · Rating 4 out of 5]

After traveling through the southwest I came across this cookbook either in the Grand Canyon gift shop or possibly in Monument Valley.

I picked it up because it mentioned the Indian Bread Pudding recipe (which definitely is not the Indian version my grandmother made).

I have made the Indian Tacos recipe, which turned out great. It also has recipes using blue corn and prickly pears which I like also.

I will say this book is written very "academically" as the author was working on her PhD. There are beautiful pictures in here as well.

[Joe Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think of the southwest and you probably think desert. Think desert and food from the desert is likely not at the forefront of your thoughts. With this cookbook, rethink the southwest. Besides the many recipes, traditional and contemporary, each chapter begins with a well-written synopsis of the particular food’s history and usage. Amazing how many plants, such as squash and corn, were domesticated between 7,000 & 3,000 B.C. in Mesoamerica.

[Dray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a nice cookbook. The spirit and food of the southwest is well represented. I particularly liked the emphasis on corn and that the bulk of the recipes are vegetarian/vegan. The recipes are authentic and presented in an upscale manner that I found to be appealing. The photography is excellent. I recommend this book.

[Infoguide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eating dosa is a great healthy option. Having dosa batter ready at home saves lot of time.
Dosa Batter Online Delivery

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is no ordinary cook book. This is a great tool for anyone living in the Southwest. I found it very informative and vital to my desert gardening.

[G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great photo work, the recipes I checked it out for were the more unique and so were sufficient to satisfy my curiosity. I didn't try very many, but I can tell you that the fruit from a prickly pear cactus is very seedy and tastes like a lot like pomegranate and a little like raspberries. And it says the green pads taste like green beans. I did make some pretty yummy eminadas (sp?) based off a recipe.

[John Orman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mainly studied this book for Mexican food recipes. This book adds the twist of using Native American variations of that type of food. So a lot of the recipes involve corn, chile, melons, cactus, and nuts. I really liked the ones for green chile soup, frybread, corn fritters, and Rio Grande pizza!

Great recipes, along with colorful descriptions of the Native American lifestyle in the Southwest US.

[CD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a cooking class by Frank in Santa Fe and she fixed items out of this book. It is a James Beard award winner. The food was fantastic. She is getting her Ph.D on Native American foods and is a great writer, lecturer and chef. Highly recommended.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

We bought this book at the Grandcanyon bookstore, at the end of a two week trip through New Mexico and Arizona. Even if you never cook a single item from the recipes, it is a gem for the gorgeous photography.

[Aja Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

well researched and author is clearly passionate about this, but the food styling and photography is very outdated and unappetizing. interesting though, but i prefer the other similar book i also read.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2020 Task #13: Food book about a cuisine you’ve never tried before