What is a Gumbo, this typical American dish ?
Among the most famous American dishes, the Gumbo of Louisiana occupies a special place. This article introduces you to this dish which is seductive in the four corners of the globe.
What is a Gumbo ?
Second most cultivated vegetable in West Africa just after the tomato, the Gumbo or okra is a vegetable native to Africa. The sticky texture of the latter is traditionally used in Africa as a binder in soups.
It is said to have been introduced to Louisiana by French settlers in the early 18th century, but long before that black slaves brought it to Brazil during the slave trade. It is widely consumed in the four corners of the globe, particularly in Thailand, Africa, Brazil, India, Arab countries and Mediterranean countries. Its young shoots and leaves are part of traditional African recipes, but in Turkey its roasted seeds are a food that replaces coffee.
In the United States, precisely in Louisiana, it is an essential ingredient in Cajun cooking.
The American word Gumbo was borrowed from an African dialect “ketmie-gombo”, it would have appeared in the French language in 1764. It is also called Okra in the dialects of English-speaking African countries.
What does gumbo taste like? ?
As vegetables that contain so many vitamins and antioxidants, the Gumbo does not derogate from this virtue. Greenish in color, it is very rich in antioxidants and dietary fiber which are necessary to maintain the health of the body and to protect it from free radicals. The properties of the latter make it a natural remedy for many diseases. For example, it contains lutein, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and quercetin which are powerful antioxidants. It also helps reduce blood sugar levels and is one of the few dietary foods that help regulate cholesterol levels.
In addition, it contains several vitamins essential to the human body. It contains vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B9, C and K and is also rich in water. The trace elements and minerals essential to the body such as copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese are also present.
The benefits of eating gumbo for the body are countless. On the one hand, it is a powerful remedy against cancer, the quercetin it contains can neutralize free radicals. The fiber of the Gumbo It eliminates toxins from the body and facilitates intestinal transit which constitutes a prevention against colon and rectal cancer.
On the other hand, studies have proven that it is an effective treatment against diabetes. In fact, it inhibits an enzyme called alpha-glucosidase which improves insulin sensitivity and the high dose of fiber reduces and stabilizes blood sugar levels. It also strengthens the human immune system by providing additional white blood cells.
The antioxidants polyphenols and flavonoids of the latter as well as the vitamin C it contains allow it to play the role of anti-inflammatory and anti-aging cell. In addition to this, the antioxidants promote the accumulation of glycogen in the liver, which provides more energy in the cells. It is also used in the treatment of eczema and psoriasis by slowing down the skin aging process.
How to make a Gumbo ?
If you want to prepare the Gumbo, this dish that the’we eat in the United States, you can find all the American products you want online on My American Market, for example. For 6 people, you need the following ingredients:
- 50 g of flour
- 2 Montbéliard sausages (330 g)
- 4 chicken breasts (600 g)
- 1 green bell pepper, 1 stalk of celery, 1 large white onion and 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tablespoons Cajun spice mix (or 1 tablespoon paprika + 1 pinch pepper +1 teaspoon garlic powder +1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 liter of water
- 1 cup (250 ml) of vegetable oil
- 250 g long grain white rice
To start, prepare a brown roux with oil. Put the oil in a pan and add the flour and mix. You will notice that the flour changes color as you mix it, it will become blond, then peanut butter color, and darker, reddish and finally brown. Once the desired color is obtained, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool by half.
Then, add the roux to the broth and mix it with a whisk.
Heat a frying pan and put the sliced Montbéliard sausages in it. The idea is to grill them for about 3 minutes on each side. Once you get the desired result, remove them from the pan and do the same procedure for the chicken cubes 3 to 5 min.
After this, it’s time for the spices: peel and chop the onion, wash and dice the celery stalk, peel the garlic and dice the garlic clove, then slice the peppers in half while removing the stalk.
After this step, heat the roux in a cast iron pot then wet it with the liter of water and stir constantly until it boils. As soon as it is ready, add all the spices as well as the vegetables, the diced chicken, the sausages and let the mixture cook for 45 minutes on low heat and covered. Meanwhile, prepare the rice on the other side.
As soon as you have your camera ready, you have full control over the settings Gumbo American will be able to be used.