Sauce Gombo (Okra Stew)
Sauce gombo is a West African okra stew that uses the vegetable's natural slipperiness as its thickener, so no flour or starch is needed. Here the okra simmers in a base of browned meat or seafood, tomatoes, onion, garlic, nutmeg, ginger and paprika, with scotch bonnet and ground crayfish if you want heat and depth. Chicken, beef, goat, shrimp or fish all work. Spoon it over rice or alongside fufu.
Instructions
Wash the okra, trim off the tops and tails, and cut it into small rounds or slice it lengthwise. Set it aside.
Season the meat with salt, pepper and spices, or the seafood with salt and pepper. Leave it to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic until they turn translucent and smell fragrant.
Add the seasoned meat or seafood and cook, stirring now and then, until it is browned on all sides.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, scotch bonnet, crayfish, nutmeg, ginger and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
Add the okra and stir until it is coated with the tomato mixture. It will release a slippery liquid that thickens the stew, and you can add a little water or broth if it becomes too thick.
Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender and cooked through.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and scatter the chopped cilantro or parsley over the top.
Serve hot with cooked rice or fufu.
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