Navajo Tacos With New Mexico Red Chile Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup whole milk

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups frying oil

For the Lamb & Fillings

1 lb boneless lamb steak

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 red onion

1 large bell pepper

2 cups arugula

For the New Mexico Sauce:

6 New Mexico chiles

2 cups boiling water

2 cloves garlic

1 shallot

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar, optional

Instructions:

To make the Navajo Tacos, start by making the fry bread dough. In a mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Next add in the olive oil and milk and stir (or pulse) just until the dough comes together.

It’ll be a little sticky in places and a little shaggy in others at this point. Scrape the dough out onto a  lightly floured surface and press into a ball. Knead the dough once or twice to bring it together. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover, and refrigerate for an hour.

While the dough is resting, make the spice paste for the lamb. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and olive oil. Stir a few times to form a smooth paste. Rub generously all over the lamb steak(s) and cover. Transfer to the refrigerator for an hour or so.

In a small sauce pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. While the water is heating, remove the stems and seeds of the New Mexico chiles and rinse the peppers briefly with cold water. If you prefer some extra heat to your sauce (it’s already pretty spicy, though), keep some of the seeds. Transfer the seeded peppers to a blender, tearing them into smaller pieces as you do so. Smash two cloves of garlic and add them to the blender. Peel and coarsely chop a shallot and add it to the blender as well. Finally, add the sherry vinegar, cumin, oregano, and salt.