Cajun-spiced shrimp-okra stew

Leah’s Notebook:

Welcome to summer 2022! Hope this season is treating you well! We had one hot day of summer in San Francisco where the temperature climbed in the 80s. Yes, that is hot for us and we were suffering! Thankfully, we are back to the mild climate that we enjoy in this side of the Bay Area most of the year.

This dish which I call “Cajun-spiced Shrimp and Okra Stew” has been adapted from the cozy mystery “Plantation Shudders” which is part of the Cajun Country Mystery series set in a fictitious town in Louisiana. Cozy mysteries are my brain candies. In this difficult world that is getting more challenging by the minute, I love to escape to quaint small towns and villages where life is uncomplicated, and where people are friendly. There is always murder that is non-gory. One would wonder how many murders can happen in a small town within a short period of time. Ridiculous, right? But these are the basic premise of the cozy mystery genre. A tea shop owner, B&B owner, etc. who is often a successful, independent, divorced and retired woman will always be the main character. She will end up being an amateur detective who will solve the case while working side by side with the police. Do not expect to have an intellectual literary experience. (I read those books, too, as I often read up to 4 books at once.)

As for this dish, it is very easy to make. My parents gave me fresh shrimp still with heads and tails on, as well as okra. It was perfect as these are the ingredients for this dish.

I have to say, though, that the dish was really good as soon as I finished cooking it and ate it with rice. It was not as great as a leftover but not bad. I wonder if because the okra got soggy? I don’t know but honestly. I will make it again. I suspect that this is a lazy version of shrimp etouffee, if you do not want to make roux or prefer a lighter version of this dish without the flour and butter.

CAJUN-SPICED SHRIMP AND OKRA STEW

Serves 4–6.

• 1 lb. peeled shrimp
• 1 cup okra, thinly sliced *Please see note below
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, according to taste
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth, or shrimp stock
• 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning *See note
• 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
• Cooked rice for serving

How To Make

1. Mix the salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and Cajun seasoning together in a small bowl.
2. Warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on a medium flame, and add the okra and red pepper. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add broth and let simmer for a minute or two.
4. Add peeled shrimp until no longer pink.
5. Stir shrimp and vegetables, gently tossing together.
6. Gently toss sliced fresh parsley.
7. Serve on top of hot cooked rice.

MY NOTES

1. If your Cajun seasoning has salt, you may want to reduce the salt. Add salt according to taste.
2. Next time I make this dish, I will cut the okra into smaller pieces. I cooked the okra whole to make this dish visually appealing for this post.

Did you make CAJUN-SPICED SHRIMP AND OKRA STEW? Please let me know in the comment below.