Protein foods such as fish and meat were supplements by wild vegetables and greens, nuts and grains and berries and fruits. Domesticated crops included Corn, Beans, Squash, Tomatoes, Peppers and Potatoes. The traditional Native American Indian Recipes include Succotash, Popcorn, Clambake (Quahog), Buffalo Stew, Pinole, Popped Wild Rice, Sofkey and Sunflower Seed Cakes. For additional facts on cuisine refer to Native American Indian Food. Native American Indian Recipes: Succotash Recipe Native American Indian Recipes: The Native Americans of the Northeastern woodlands such as the Iroquois and the Narragansett were the first to prepare Succotash, a traditional corn and bean stew. The ingredients for the Succotash recipe and the cooking instructions are as follows: Succotash Recipe Ingredients 1 chopped onion 1 chopped green pepper 2 cups shelled lima beans 2 cups yellow corn 2 tablespoons nut butter 1 cup water Succotash Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Chop the onion and green pepper 2. Add the corn and lima beans 3. Mix together with the nut butter and water in a pot or casserole dish 4. Simmer all ingredients together in a large covered dish for 20 minutes Native American Indian Recipes: Popcorn Native American Indian Recipes: Popcorn is a type of corn (maize) that was eaten by many tribes including those who inhabited the Great Lakes region such as the Mohawk and Iroquois and in New Mexico such as the Pueblo and Zuni. The Native Americans prepared popcorn by popping corn in pottery crocks with heated sand. Popcorn Recipe Ingredients 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups of white popcorn kernels Popcorn Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or pot (do not use butter as it will burn) 2. The oil is ready when a kernel of popcorn dropped into the oil pops immediately 3. Add the popcorn to the oil and tightly cover the pot 4. Shake the pot until the popping stops 5. Add topping or seasoning to taste and then serve. Native American Indian Recipes: Clambake (Quahog) Native American Indian Recipes: Native American Indian tribes, such as the Pequot, Wampanoag, Powhatan and Pennacook, who inhabited the coastal regions of New England cooked clams, mussels, crabs and lobsters in sand pits layered with stones and wet seaweed. Native Americans used the hard shell clam, known as Quahog, to prepare feast for special occasions and the idea was adopted the tradition which they called Clambakes. Clambake Recipe Ingredients 2 dozen Manila clams 2 lobsters 2 cups dry white wine and 1 cup of water 1 onion 2 crushed garlic cloves Salt and Pepper 2lbs potatoes 4 ears of fresh corn Clambake Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Use the biggest stockpot you can find and add the water, white wine, garlic and seasoning 2. Bring to the boil 3. Peel and chop the onion and potatoes and then add to the pot 4. Add the lobsters and cook for five minutes 5. Add the clams and corn, cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes or until the clamshells have opened 6. Drain the liquid and serve with fresh bread and small bowls of melted butter Native American Indian Recipes: Buffalo Stew Native American Indian Recipes: Buffalo meat was the staple diet of the tribes of the Great Plains such as the Sioux, Blackfoot and Cheyenne. The following buffalo stew recipe can be substituted with beef. Buffalo has a texture and taste similar to beef but is much leaner. Dried buffalo meat called Pemmican, was a nutritious, preserved food that was prepared by the women of the Plains tribes. Buffalo Stew Recipe Ingredients 4 pounds buffalo (or beef) 1 cup red wine or beef stock 2 Tablespoons oil 1 large chopped onion 1 pound chopped mushrooms Salt and pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons flour to coat the meat Buffalo Stew Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Cut the meat into bite sized chunks and coat with the flour 2. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the meat 3. Cook the meat until the meat is browned (this seals the meat juices) 4. Season with salt and pepper, and add the red wine or beef stock 5. Simmer the meat in the liquid for 40 - 50 minutes, or until the meat is tender 6. Serve Native American Indian Recipes: Pinole Native American Indian Recipes: Pinole is a traditional cornmeal drink that was enjoyed by the Southwest tribes including the Hopi. Pinole can be served either hot or cold. Pinole Recipe Ingredients 1½ cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup water 2 Tablespoons honey ½ teaspoon cinnamon Pinole Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Heat a frying pan and dry-roast the cornmeal 2. Stir the cornmeal for about 6 - 8 minutes until it starts to turn brown 3. Empty the cornmeal into a small bowl 4. Add the cinnamon and honey and mix well Native American Indian Recipes: Popped Wild Rice Native American Indian Recipes: Wild Rice was one of the staple foods of the tribes who inhabited the Great Basin region including the Bannock and Paiute tribes who harvested wild rice. Popped Wild Rice Recipe Ingredients 1 cup wild rice 3 cups water 1 teaspoon oil ½ teaspoon salt Popped Wild Rice Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Rinse the wild rice in cold water 2. Bring the water, oil, and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan 3. Stir in the wild rice. 4. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for about 1 hour until the rice pops 5. Do not lift the cover while the rice is cooking Native American Indian Recipes: Sofkey Native American Indian Recipes: Sofkey is a sour corn porridge made with grits that was enjoyed by Native tribes who once lived primarily in the southeastern United States including the Cherokee, Choctaw and Creeks. Grits are small broken grains of corn - "corn grits" Sofkey Recipe Ingredients 6 cups water 1 cup coarse corn grits Sofkey Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Pour the water into a heavy pot 2. Add the corn grits 3. Cook the mixture until it looks milky Native American Indian Recipes: Sunflower Seed Cakes Native American Indian Recipes: Many Native American Indian cultivated their lands and raised the 'Three Sisters' crops of corn, beans and squash. Many other tribes such as the Navajo and Pawnee also raised crops of sunflowers. Sunflower Seed Cakes Recipe Ingredients 3 cups shelled sunflower seeds 6 tablespoons fine cornmeal 3 cups water 2 teaspoons maple syrup 1/2 cup oil Sunflower Seed Cakes Recipe Cooking Instructions 1. Heat the water in a heavy pot 2. Add the shelled sunflower seeds and simmer for 1 hour 3. Drain off the water and grind 4. Stir the cornmeal and maple syrup into seed mixture to make a stiff dough 5. Shape the dough into firm, flat cakes about 3 inches in diameter 6. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet on both sides until the cakes are brown 7. Drain on paper and serve |