Vegan Gumbo Recipe With Okra And Lentils | Gluten-Free - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

What does okra add to gumbo? ›

Okra provides color, texture, flavor, and thickening for the stew. The differences between creole and cajun cooking are very small, but generally revolve around the use of tomatoes. Creole gumbo usually has canned, chopped tomatoes in it.

Once the roux is a deep golden color, add diced veggies and sausage to the mix. Then, incorporate beef bouillon, hot sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings to intensify the flavor.

Gumbo can be made with or without okra or filé powder. The preferred method in the historical New Orleans variation is with a French dark, even chocolate-like, roux. The flavor of the dish has its origins in many cultures. Creole gumbo generally contains shellfish, and a dark roux, filé, or both.

In gumbo, the stirring is prolonged to achieve a chocolate color and intensify the stew's flavor. And it does make a HUGE difference tastewise. The right timing – Adding the okra during the last 5 minutes will help cut the slime. Some swear that if you saute the okra first, then add it to the gumbo, it won't be slimy.

The key to this recipe is the Roux!

A “roux” is made with two ingredients; flour and oil, and it's the key to any great gumbo recipe! The flour and oil are cooked and stirred together for about 30-45 minutes until it becomes dark brown almost like mud, or chocolate and the consistency of dough.

Thou Shalt Always Use a Bowl. If you use a plate, it is not gumbo it is rice and gravy! Thou Shalt Only Use a Wooden Spoon. There is only one kind of spoon that can enter a gumbo pot and that is a wooden one.

Cooking the gumbo for a good three to four hours on simmer is imperative. "The long cooking time adds time for flavors to develop and ensures a burst of flavor," says Biffar. Make sure to give it time to let everything mesh together, this is not a dish to be rushed!

Turns out, your preference for tomatoes in gumbo comes down to whether you learned your skills from a Cajun cook or a Creole cook. (Learn about the difference here.) Cajun gumbo does not include tomatoes in the base, but Creole gumbo (typically shellfish or seafood gumbo) does call for tomatoes.

For purposes of this discussion, we will limit our focus to plain old polished white rice. Even then, it comes in different sizes — short, long and medium grain. I prefer medium grain rice in a gumbo, because the grains puff up, the perfect medium for a gumbo. The thick gumbo juice sticks to the grains just right.

Roux is flour that's browned in fat (like oil or butter) to thicken and flavor gumbo and other Cajun dishes. Although it's just two ingredients, the color of a roux is fiercely debated among gumbo aficionados.

Why don't you put tomatoes in gumbo? ›

Turns out, your preference for tomatoes in gumbo comes down to whether you learned your skills from a Cajun cook or a Creole cook. (Learn about the difference here.) Cajun gumbo does not include tomatoes in the base, but Creole gumbo (typically shellfish or seafood gumbo) does call for tomatoes.

It's very simple: Put some oil in a pan ( never use cast-iron for this, it will turn your okra black) and add your okra. Begin cooking it over a medium flame, stirring frequently. As the okra heats you will see the "slime" cooking out of it.

Beware of Overcooking

Overcooking okra can intensify the sliminess. To prevent this, make sure to cook your gumbo for the appropriate amount of time. Simmer the gumbo until all the flavors meld together and the okra is cooked through but still retains a slight crunch.

"You should add your okra towards the end of cooking, allowing it to steep and the okra slime to develop in the finished product," says Dickensauge. Mix in your okra about 30 minutes before the gumbo is finished.

Okra's distinctive sliminess becomes an invaluable feature when stewed, and it's a natural thickening agent that defines traditional gumbo recipes. Alternatively, searing and dry heat transform okra into a caramelized crunchy delight with hints of grassy flavor without a slimy texture.

Wet okra: Cutting and cooking okra in moisture releases a slimy juice that increases the thickness of soups and stews. Dried okra: Dried okra can also thicken a sauce. Some people use it as an egg white substitute.