Afro-fusion Style Gumbo: A Healthier Alternative To An Old Southern Favorite
As I continue to explore the diversity of the culinary world, I’ve come to the conclusion that every culture has something wonderful to share. Spicy and complex flavors are my childhood favorites and my take on traditional gumbo is what I’m bringing to the fall table! My Afro-fusion style gumbo is a healthier and spicier take on this old southern favorite.
Rich and hearty soups are a staple of African cultures worldwide and the diaspora is no different! Gumbo has a rich and savory history and is well known throughout the southern united states and much of the nation in general. The fact of the matter is that I love food in all it’s richness and diversity so much, that I’ll try just about any dish (from anywhere in the world) at least once. That’s why I love making my Afro-fusion style gumbo throughout the fall and winter seasons.
Homemade beats store-bought every time and that’s why it’s always a good idea to check your pantry each season to make sure you the necessary ingredients for those home favorites. Also, it’s a good idea to always check food ingredients and items to make sure that they are GMO and additive-free. For more on this, check out my earlier post on toxic additives in your name brand mayo!
Disclaimer: This post contains product affiliate links!!
My Love of gumbo
This love for gumbo stems from the fact that it reminds me of a traditional okra soup that is made in south-eastern Nigeria. It too is composed of a variety of meats including seafood. Unlike the traditional version from back home, it’s more of a gravy, is eaten with rice (some add the rice to the gumbo), and lacks the level of heat and spiciness.
I’m not going to get into the history of gumbo here but suffice it to say that it is a yummy dish that varies across the state of Louisiana and the southern united states in general. All I can say is, it is delicious and filling. Depending on what recipe you go with, the level of richness is synonymous with the number of fat calories.
In one of my creative moments, I decided to cook an Africanized version of this dish that contains far fewer calories and increased the spice and heat profile. I call it, “ Afro-fusion gumbo” because the flavors differ from the typical version of gumbo, which has far fewer calories (due to fat) and uses the spice profile that I grew up with.
Below is a list of my go-to spices for my Afro-fusion style gumbo recipe. Most of these spices are perfect for boosting the immune system as well as a number of other health benefits!
Ingredients for my Afro-fusion style gumbo:
- Shrimp (NOT farm-raised, that stuff is trash)-2 cups
- Organic andouille sausage-1 1/2 package (cut into coin-sized rounds)
- Free-range organic chicken-(you can also substitute this with rotisserie chicken to cut down on cook time)
- Curry powder-2 tablespoons
- Turmeric-1 1/2 tablespoon
- Nigerian hot chili powder (use black pepper for a low lectin version)
- Bay leaves-3
- Dried thyme- 1 teaspoon
- Dried basil- 1/2 teaspoon
- Garlic- 15 cloves (roughly chopped)
- Coconut oil-2/3 cup
- Indian basmati rice( for a low lectin version)-1 cup, steamed
- 7 cups homemade chicken broth
- 1 cup shrimp stock (I make mine from scratch)
- Red onion-1, large
- Okra-1 1/2 cup of roughly chopped okra
- Green bell pepper-1 large sized
- Celery- 1 stalk, finely chopped (I prefer to use only a little of celery in my version)
- 1 small bunch of fresh parsley (I left this out of my recipe because I don’t care for parsley)
- Cajun seasoning (make sure it’s a brand without mystery ingredients!)
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (use an unbleached and additive-free organic brand)
Assembling your ingredients
Once you’ve assembled all of your ingredients for this Afro-fusion gumbo, you’re ready to make your gumbo. Next, start by chopping all the vegetables; you can also do this the day before in order to save time. The key to this dish is the roux (I call it a fancy word for gravy, but oh well)! To make the roux, in a large dutch oven (or cast iron pot)heat the oil over medium heat. After the oil is hot, whisk in the flour to form a roux. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until almost black in color, 50 to 55 minutes.
Bringing it all together
Next, slowly pour in the shrimp and chicken stocks while constantly stirring until the stock is fully incorporated into the roux. Mix in the dried basil, cayenne, garlic, celery, bay leaves, bell pepper, okra, parsley, onion, etc. Bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 hour.
Before you add in the smoked sausage, in a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices and brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a spatula to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate. Then, add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot.
Add the remaining cups of chicken broth plus the shrimp broth, veggies, parsley, and roux to the pot and stir well to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
Finally, add the remaining ingredients to your Afro-fusion gumbo mix except for the rice, and simmer until the seafood is cooked and the okra is tender (approximately 10 to 12 minutes). Ladle into bowls and serve with a scoop on top or you can add your rice to the gumbo instead.
About the author
Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!
Her passion
Her desire and calling is to help women achieve balance and a healthy lifestyle by going deeper, setting boundaries, and embracing the goddess within. She’s about helping other women change unhealthy patterns and lifestyle habits that have kept them in bondage to seeking permission and approval from the outside. That means connecting and embracing their own essence and power in order to rise up and live an aligned fit-lifestyle. Tonye’s greatest joy is to partner and support her fellow goddesses as they courageously embark on a journey of transformation, empowerment, healing, and health.
