Warm, soft and puffy with a golden and crisp exterior, the Navajo fry bread recipe is a beloved treat with a complex history.

We had to move. So that’s where fry bread comes into play, and we survived off of it. My grandmother, my mom, Leonard’s mom, we all had the recipe. It’s passed down from generations.

WHITE CENTER, Wash — They may be puffy and light but fry bread actually has a dark history dating back to when Native Americans were put on reservations and given government rations for food.