You say gumbo, I say YUMBO

I've got a stinking cold and yesterday I needed something to make me feel better, this is it! Real gumbo is a stew that originated in Louisiana (I think?) and it's usually full of meat and seafood. I was going to make it a black bean version but my bunged up head forgot to soak the beans overnight so I used chickpeas instead, but really you could use any old beans.

This vegan versions base flavours are still pretty similar and it'd also be so great if you were cooking for friends and some were carnivores because at the end you could just add some chopped chorizo and everybody's happy.

I'd never even eaten okra before I made this but it's pretty delicious! Kind of sweetens up the whole thing. To prepare it you just need to chop off the stem end and the skinny tail end, then slice it.

To make enough for 4 you'll need:

2 red onions

5 garlic cloves

1 pepper

1-2 sticks of celery (I hate celery)

3 tbsp tomato paste

about 25-30 okra (okras?)

1 500g/1 1lb carton of passata

3 cups vegetable stock

1 chili, de seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 can of chickpeas (drained)

a big bunch of coriander

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 lime (optional)

Chop the onions and put them in a deep pan with about 1-2 tbsp of sunflower/canola oil. Fry them off for a few minutes over a medium heat, then chop and add the pepper and celery and give it another couple of minutes. Finely chop all the garlic and add it to the mix with the tomato puree.

Stir it around a bit, then add the passata, stock, chili, cinnamon, okra, chickpeas, soy sauce and the coriander. You need a big bunch of coriander like this:

Roughly chop it up and bung that in too. The okra needs a long time to get tender so leave the pan to simmer for about 30-40 minutes but keep stirring it every 5 minutes or so just so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Try a spoonful after about half an hour and if the okra still has a bite to it, give it a little more time. Put some rice on to cook when you've got about 10 minutes left and serve your piping hot gumbo over the rice then squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top, and top with some more coriander.

I'm going to Paris tomorrow! Hope I can find something to eat there...