HAVE you heard of gumbo?
This is a folk dish that comes straight out of the swamps and slave plantations of America’s deep south.
Gumbo is a heavily seasoned stew that first appeared in the area now known as the US state of Louisiana in the 1700s. It is a Cajun dish. Cajuns were the free people who lived in Louisiana’s swamps.
Gumbo is mostly made up of a strongly flavoured shellfish or meat stock, a thickener and seasoned vegetables. Seasoned vegetables include celery, bell peppers and onions, which are known as the Holy Trinity of Cajun cuisine.
Gumbo categories are based on what thickener was used: Okra, the Choctaw spice file powder – dried and ground sassafras leaves – and roux – a French base made of flour and fat. Gumbo is mostly served over rice.
Gumbo comes from a West African word for okra. Also known as okro, ochro and ladies’ fingers, it is a flowering plant that grows in tropical or warm climates.
Gumbo is said to have been first recorded in 1802 and by the 19th century it was popular in many cookbooks with other Cajun recipes.