I talk a lot in my book about the creativity involved in Native American recipes; this classic Navajo porridge is an example of that principle. It takes a common ingredient, cornmeal, and creates a dessert, rather than a savory side dish, a dumpling, or a crust for fish or meat. When I was a kid, I’d eat this sweet cornmeal drizzled with honey, berries, and milk at any time of day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. Culinary ash, which Navajos make by burning juniper trees, adds a smoky flavor to the toasted cornmeal and also brightens the blue color. If you don’t like smoke and sweetness together, use baking powder instead. Drizzle with your favorite sweetener to balance the hint of smoke, the nuttiness of the toasted corn, and the tart, fresh berries.
Excerpted with permission from New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian (Abrams Books, 2022) by Freddie Bitsoie & James O. Fraioli. —Freddie Bitsoie
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