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Ingredients
- 50ml/2fl oz vegetable oil, plus
- 2 tablespoons extra
- 6 rashers bacon, finely chopped
- 21⁄2 tablespoons plain flour
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
- 16 okra, trimmed, halved lengthways
- 1 bay leaf
- 850g/13⁄4lb canned tomatoes
- 900g/2lb raw prawns, peeled and deveined, but with tails left intact
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the 50ml/2fl oz oil in a large saucepan, add the bacon and cook
over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring,
until the flour turns nutty brown. Remove from the pan. This mixture,
known as a roux, will be used to thicken and flavour the gumbo. - Heat the extra 2 tablespoons oil in the saucepan, add the onion,
cayenne and peppers, and cook, stirring, over a medium heat for
5 minutes or until the onion is golden brown. - Add the okra, bay leaf and tomatoes to the saucepan, and bring to the
boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. You may need to add
water if the mixture is too thick. - Stir the prawns and the roux into the mixture, add the Tabasco and
season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the prawns are
cooked. Serve hot.
