Gumbo is a time-honored stew from Southern Louisiana. It borrows from several culinary traditions notably Native American, West African and French. To build the gumbo’s hearty texture, you’ll add okra, another hallmark of Southern cooking. Traditionally, the dish is made for social gatherings and family meals.
It’s literally a one pot dish that can be quickly whipped up and enjoyed by the whole family!
Traditionally, Gumbo is a
heavily seasoned soup or stew that combines several varieties of meat or
seafood with a sauce or gravy. Any combination of meat
or seafood can be used. Most varieties of gumbo are seasoned with onions,
parsley, bell pepper, and celery. Tomatoes
are sometimes used in seafood gumbo, but traditionally few other vegetables are
included.
In my take on
the Gumbo, I have used prawns, potatoes and Okra. Three of my favorite
ingredients which, when combined together, is amazingly tasty!
I served it with PAN FRIED MACKERELS (click for recipe) and rotis!
You can also serve it with DHAN-DAR (click for recipe) which is Parsi style split yellow pigeon peas (tuvar dal) (arhar dal)
Here goes the
recipe.
Ingredients:
250 gms
Ladyfinger /Okra (chopped)
200 gms
Prawns (peeled and deveined)
2 potatoes
(cubed)
2 tomatoes (
chopped)
2 onions
(chopped)
3 green
chilies ( finely chopped)
1 tbsp
ginger-garlic paste
4 tbsp
grated coconut/desiccated coconut
4 tbsp
Canola oil
1.5 cups
water
4 pieces
kokum
Salt to
taste
Spices:
2 tsp cumin
seeds
1 tsp
turmeric powder
1 tsp red
chili powder
1 tsp coriander
powder
Method:
Peel and
devein the prawns. Marinate them in turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside.
In a deep
thick bottomed pan, heat the oil. Add
the Cumin Seeds and allow to splutter.
Add the chopped
onions and green chilies. Saute till the onions soften.
Add the tomatoes
and mix well.
Cook on
medium heat till the tomatoes soften.
Add the ginger – garlic paste and the remaining spices to the mixture.
Mix well and
let the mixture cook for around 5-7 minutes on low heat. Keep stirring
constantly to avoid sticking.
Add the
cubed potatoes to the mixture. Mix well.
Add the
chopped Okra, mix with the mixture.
Now, add the
marinated prawns. Mix well.
Add 1.5 cups
of water and bring to a boil. Add the salt.
Add the Kokum.
Allow to
cook for 5 minutes.
Add the
grated coconut .
Mix well, cover and simmer till the prawns, potatoes and Okra is cooked
Serve hot,
either with steamed rice or with rotis.
I have let
the extra water evaporate since I liked it a bit dry. But feel free to have it
either ways !
I served it with PAN FRIED MACKERELS (click for recipe) and rotis!
You can also serve it with DHAN-DAR (click for recipe) which is Parsi style split yellow pigeon peas (tuvar dal) (arhar dal)
