Recipe: Crockpot vegetable gumbo

Southern Gumbo is a comforting warm meal.

This is a take on a traditional "Southern" gumbo and includes frozen okra available from Asian food stores and some supermarkets. Okra helps to thicken the mixture.

Ingredients:

700g pumpkin

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tbsp plain flour

1 & 1/2 cups vegetable stock

400g can each: diced tomatoes, kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen okra

1 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Method:

Peel and seed pumpkin. Cut into 3cm cubes. Place in a crockpot (slow cooker).

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Saute onion, until softened. Add celery and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add to crockpot.

Heat remaining oil. Stir in flour until golden brown. (This is a traditional step in making a Southern gumbo.) Stir in stock and bring to the boil. Pour into crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours. Great served on rice. - Serves 4-6.