I love New Orleans, beautiful Jazz music is everywhere. I have been to New Orleans two times, the first time before Hurricane Katrina, and the second time after Katrina. Yes I found lots of differences after that natural disaster. The first time when I visited it was full of hush and bush, Jazz music was everywhere, it was really fun to walk around the river walk, French quarter etc. However after Katrina, when I went, shops on the river walk were closing at 6 PM and nobody there in the street by dusk. It was in 2007 that I last visited, and I don’t know about now. May be one day I will visit New Orleans again, perhaps I would get a chance to visit during the Mardi Gras festival.
Muddy Mississippi river is flowing as it was before, she doesn’t know anything that the happened to the city. French quarter is active in the night, and both times I went for conference and stayed at the same hotel. I had fun there. My hubby always tells me you visited New Orleans, and I didn’t, you did not take me along. I always tell, that is all for research conference, if you want we can visit now. We are still debating on it when to visit.
New Orleans has lots of history just like any other state. It has lots of influence from the French and that can be seen in its cuisine. I still miss beignets square-shaped fried pastries that could be called "French doughnuts" served with café au lait (which has blend of coffee chicory just like our south Indian filter coffee, but without milk) and the Po' boy bread and Italian Muffuletta sandwiches.
If you are a sea food lover there are the fried oysters, boiled crawfish, and other seafood; étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, and other Creole dishes. Don’t think that New Orleans has no dessert in it cuisine, one of the famous one is Praline a candy made with brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, butter, and pecans. The city also has notable street food] including the Asian inspired beef Yaka mein.
As an ode to love of that city I made this Vegetarian Jambalaya. Jambalaya originated in southern Louisiana by the Cajuns around the bayou where food was scarce, as opposed to the richer part of Louisiana. The word is a combined from Jambon from the French meaning ham, and Aya meaning rice in African, as there were many slaves in Louisiana at the time.
Other belief is that it is a variation of Spanish paella, as it incorporate, vegetables, meat and sea food. City of Gonzales, Louisiana is considered to be the capital of Jambalaya and they even conduct Jambalaya Contest every year. Read more from here
Jambalaya is of two kinds, most famous one is Creole jambalaya and other is Cajun Version. In the first version, meat is added along with trinity (combo of celery, green peppers and onion) sauteed in oil and then vegetables and tomatoes are added and cooked followed by the addition of stock and rice and Creole seasoning with infrequent stirring.
The second version, which is more characteristic of southwestern and south-central Louisiana, is Cajun jambalaya, and it doesn’t contain any tomatoes. First meat is browned in the pot, followed by the addition of trinity and sautéed until soft. Then it is cooked with rice and stock seasoning. Cajun version is brown in color due to browning of meat, where as Creole version is red in color due to use of tomato.
Since I didn’t use any seafood or meat, I used vegetarian sausage and add vegetables to make a vegetarian version of Jambalaya. I was not comfortable of adding rice without washing, because of Indian tradition; I washed the rice and cooked with trinity, vegetables, rice and homemade vegetable stock. Even though I am not a fan of celery, I added it in this Jambalaya to make it as traditional as possible. My recipe was from here and here .
The second version, which is more characteristic of southwestern and south-central Louisiana, is Cajun jambalaya, and it doesn’t contain any tomatoes. First meat is browned in the pot, followed by the addition of trinity and sautéed until soft. Then it is cooked with rice and stock seasoning. Cajun version is brown in color due to browning of meat, where as Creole version is red in color due to use of tomato.
Since I didn’t use any seafood or meat, I used vegetarian sausage and add vegetables to make a vegetarian version of Jambalaya. I was not comfortable of adding rice without washing, because of Indian tradition; I washed the rice and cooked with trinity, vegetables, rice and homemade vegetable stock. Even though I am not a fan of celery, I added it in this Jambalaya to make it as traditional as possible. My recipe was from here and here .
I made my version vegetarian jambalaya like this.
Once you cut the veggies, half of your work is done.
It was a delicious one pot meal. The entire family enjoyed it. Try it for yourself to do taste test, even though you might be far away from New Orleans.
Print recipe from here
Vegetarian Jambalaya
Recipe adapted from here and here
Recipe adapted from here and here
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 -5 serving
Ingredients:
- 11/2 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup yellow bell pepper
- ¾ cup carrots chopped
- ½ cup beans
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 cups uncooked rice
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth ( I used homemade one)
- 6 mock sausage such as Morningstar Farms
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste
Preparation:
In a large bowl, mix tomato paste with vegetable broth until smooth and set aside.
In a large pot, saute onion, celery and green pepper and garlic until slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
Then add mocked sausage,orange bell pepper, carrots, then add chopped tomato and green beans.
Add uncooked rice and allow rice to toast for one minute, stirring. Add tomato and broth mixture. To this add spices and salt. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are fully cooked and rice is soft.
If you want you can serve with hot sauce, Enjoy
In a large pot, saute onion, celery and green pepper and garlic until slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
Then add mocked sausage,orange bell pepper, carrots, then add chopped tomato and green beans.
Add uncooked rice and allow rice to toast for one minute, stirring. Add tomato and broth mixture. To this add spices and salt. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are fully cooked and rice is soft.
If you want you can serve with hot sauce, Enjoy
I am linking this to My Favorite Recipes Event; Mela/ Carnival food guest hosted by Merry Tummy.
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Priya Yallapantula says
wow, that is looking delicious & superb.
Reeni Pisano says
This is just packed with good things Swathi making it very tasty! It would be a great comfort here - it's still so cold. I would love to go to New Orleans too during Mardi Gras.
Sanoli Ghosh says
Lovely one pot fulfilling meal Swathi. Looks luscious.
today's post:
http://sanolisrecipies.blogspot.in/2013/03/vegetarian-keema-soya-granules-curry.html
Chitz says
Never knew about veg sausages before.. Healthy looking jambalaya 🙂
Hamsamalini Chandrasekaran says
Excellent way to add Celery in Indian cooking. Awesome filling recipe.
http://www.indianrecipecorner.com
radha says
The first half is cutting the veggies, the next half is the simmering in the pot.. you would need keep a watchful eye to ensure it turns out perfect ! As yours has. Interesting vegetarian twist.
Raksha says
This is delicious, had this at a restaurant one day.
-Raksha
Treatntrick Treat and Trick says
This one pot meal look awesome!
Julie says
Perfect filling n tempting one pot meal...yummy,Swathi!!
Participate & win e gift vouchers in Flavors Of Cuisines-"Chinese"
Julia Gonzalez says
Delicious and very healthy.
I always wanted to go to New Orleans it's a place that I would like very much to visit.
Regards
Helen Prabha says
Wow...looks so yummy & wonderful...... Lovely pot....:-)
Shree Kanneppady says
one pot meal with lots of veggies.. love it
Rani Acharyulu says
Nice to know about New Orleans culture and cuisine. This one pot healthy meal looks so nice in beautiful ceramic pot.
Rafeeda AR says
that is loaded with goodness... yummy treat...
Angie's Recipes says
This looks like a healthy yet flavoursome and delicious vegetarian treat.
Sona S says
wow so many veggies, interesting dish. looks delicious..
Kaveri Venkatesh says
Jambalaya...the name itself sounds very interesting...nice info...and a lovely recipe
Priya Sahasranaman says
I love such one pot meals - adding it to my "must try" list!
http://thegoddessofspice.blogspot.com/
Amrita Vishal says
amazing one pot meal, full of nutrition
Archana Potdar says
Delicious option. Will try it without the sausage.
Rebecca Subbiah says
love this nice for vegetarians to have an option
Navaneetham Krishnan says
Plenty of ingredients but all are worth for such a wonderful treat. We do enter the vegetarian fever from time to time and this will be a good try for me.
Gheza e shiriin says
Looks delicious.
Kitchen Queen says
i am so going to make this. where did u find veg sausage?
Swathi Iyer says
You can find it in target
Meena Selvakumaran says
lovely clicks.cute serving bowl.delicious onepot meal
Veena Theagarajan says
yummy Jambalaya.. lots veg!
Beena.stephy says
Yummy rice
Saranya Balaji says
Delicious and Filling meal...Love the step by step pic...
Shobha Kamath says
I have never tried this before. It looks very appealing. Your pictures are gr8! Loved it!
Gujarati Zaika says
glad to follow you..
Gujarati Zaika says
Looks very healthy and delicious...
Shabbu says
Healthy and Yummy recipe..thanks for sharing..
Divya Pramil says
Sounds so delicious and looks appetizing 🙂 Nice flavors there 🙂
Wer SAHM says
delicious wholesome meal...
Shruti Dhingra Wahi says
Looks yummy, healthy and tempting !!
ShrutiRasoi
Today's Recipe
Egg Drop Soup
Gauri says
That is a lot of work and so many different ingredients.. the result looks really inviting!
kitchen queen says
excellent awesome and tempting superb dish. I am drooling here.
kala says
yummyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Rita Bose says
So tasty jambalaya!! Wonderful dish! Lovely snaps!
Rita-Bose-Cooking
Sangeetha Priya says
Deliciuos n healthy one pot meal...so festive clicks Swathi...
PT says
loaded with veggies and healthy..
Divya Shivaraman says
i have never tried or heard this name - am sure this will help me learn new recipes.thanks for share
♥LOVE2COOK MALAYSIA♥ says
Great info on New Orleans...and your Jambalaya looks so mouthwatering. Great pictures!!!
Chef Mireille says
I love New Orleans food and Jambalaya is one of my faves to make - your veggie version looks delicious!
Gayathri Ramanan says
healthy recipe..looks perfect and yumm..
http://foody-buddy.blogspot.com/
Suja Manoj says
Healthy and filling,loved the presentation.adipoli.
divya says
lovely pictures n lovely recipe 🙂 feeling hungry now 😛
Marus says
Look very healthy y delicious...
Good day
DivyaGCP says
Delicious and healthy.. Looks yum with lot of veggies