MEXICAN GUMBO (Slow cooker method)

Mexican Gumbo......yet another signature recipe of my daughter...a true comfort food on these chilly nights....
Gumbo is a stew which originated from southern parts of Lousiana during 18th century . This is again a very very healthy recipe, loaded with high protein content.
My daughter made this in the slow cooker. We can make  this in pressure cooker too. I just loved the slow cooker cooking method...absolutely trouble free, no need to stand nearby and stir ..........she put everything in the crockpot / slow cooker, we roamed around here and there .........and it was ready late in the evening for dinner!!!

Ingredients

Black beans, soaked overnight - 6 cups

Red bell pepper - 1, finely chopped

Green bell pepper - 1, finely chopped

Onion - 1, finely chopped

Garlic - 6 pods, chopped

Fresh or frozen corn 3 cups

Vegetable stock or plain water to cook the black beans as required

Green chillies or jalapeno - 6 finely chopped

Chilli powder - 2 tsps

Jeera / cumin powder - 3 tsps

Crushed tortilla chips - 1 cup

Fresh cilantro/coriander leaves - 1 huge cup

Salt to taste

Sour cream, Mexican cheese and tortilla chips, as required

For the grilled veggies

Olive oil - 3 tsps

Green bell pepper - 1, cut into long strips

Onion - 1, cut into long strips

Recipe Cuisine: Mexican; Category: Lunch / Dinner

Prep time: 15 mts; Cooking time: Whole day, if it is slow-cooker method; If pressure cooker method, then 40 mts;

Serves 8-10

Black beans, soaked over night, put in the slow cooker, vegetable broth added. You can add plain water too, or make some broth by boiling whatever vegetables available at home, taking just the water and discarding the veggies

Chopped tomatoes, green chillies or jalapeno, corn, garlic, onions, green and red bell peppers, chilli powder and jeera / cumin powder added step by step

Crushed tortilla chips added to thicken the gumbo, liberal heap of fresh chopped cilantro / coriander leaves added. 

The well cooked gumbo, hand blended. Add salt to taste

Spanish rice: In a pressure pan, add 2 tsps olive oil, then saute 4-5 pods of finely chopped garlic, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 slit green chilli, 1 tsp chilli powder etc, then add 1 cup soaked and drained brown rice, add 21/2 cups of water, and cook for 3 whistles. Garnish with coriander leaves

 Make Corn Salsa , as illustrated.

The sauteed green bell peppers and onions

 Now.......all things are ready. We just have to build a gumbo bowl...

.First take a bowl place a scoop of spanish rice

then 2 scoops of gumbo (which we have cooked in the slow cooker or pressure cooker, and hand blended)

Now, the grilled veggies and corn salsa

now the sour cream

now the mexican cheese

finally, top it up with some crunchy tortilla chips

Serve the warm Mexican Gumbo...it will taste yum!!! the cool, soothing  sour cream, the tasty mexican cheese, the crunchy grilled veggies, the spicy corn salsa, and the crisp tortilla chips.....I tell you...this is a real amalgamation of various tastes!!! Satiate your hunger pangs by having a bowl of this healthy Gumbo.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* If mexican cheese is not available, use any other cheese available in the market

* Sour cream can be very well whipped up in a jiffy. Whisk half a cup of store-bought thick yogurt or hung curds(if you are using home made curds)  and half a cup of fresh cream, and your sour cream is ready!!!

*Tortilla chips are , for sure, available in India.

* If you do not get black beans, no worries...use rajma and black eyed chick peas (karamani) 

Categories: Family contributions, Healthy Cooking, International cuisine, Soups- Sandwiches-Salads