Vegan Gumbo

If you had asked me even a short while ago about the viability of a vegan gumbo, I would have looked at you like someone who referred to grits in the singular. As in: You really know squat about southern culture.

And even if you COULD do a vegan version of gumbo, why the hell WOULD you? I mean, you’ve got all that lusciousness of shrimp and chicken and sausage mixed in a meat-based gumbo file. Seems like the wrong address for a vegan dish, no?

Actually, no. The core of my family is pretty much vegan these days, and they love spicy cuisine. So, just on that basis alone, a vegan gumbo makes complete sense. Add to the fact that many of our guests here in our soul food kitchen in Tel Aviv tend to be vegan and the rationale becomes even more compelling. And then layer that with the remarkable availability of fresh produce here, and suddenly you begin to see this dish in a whole new light, where the okra and tomatoes and corn/potatoes (if you use these) are now the stars of the show. Oh, right, and did I mention the health aspect?

My daughter, from whom I’ve learned so much, likes to say that vegan cuisine should not be a copycat of standard fare but should stand on its own. She’s not particularly keen, for example on using seitan to mimic a beef dish. She has a good point here, in my opinion. Which then raises the issue of whether a vegan gumbo is its own dish or simply a copycat?

I’d say it’s the former, its own, unique dish. It pays homage of course to its carnivore cousin, but the blend of vegetables and seasonings makes it distinct. Of course, I will need to ask my daughter for a more expert ruling. Stay tuned.