The origins of gumbo are usually credited to Africans. The term “kigombo” is an African word for okra, an ingredient in many gumbo recipes. The use of file powder in gumbo is credited to the Native Americans, and the French Acadians are credited with the use of a roux as the base for gumbo. There is at least one more group that needs to be added to the other ethnic groups when seafood gumbo is made and that is the Filipinos for bringing an important ingredient to seafood gumbo, dried shrimp.

Filipinos first settled in the Gulf Coast of Louisiana about the time of the arrival of the Cajuns. The first Filipinos deserted and escaped from Spanish ships to settle in Louisiana and many established small fishing villages, mostly in St. Bernard and Orleans parishes. The Filipino fisherman began to make their living on shrimp boats and introduced their Filipino methods of drying shrimp to the Cajuns, methods that Cajuns still use today.

The first stage of sun-drying shrimp was to boil them for about 20 minutes in large pots filled with salt and water. Next, the shrimp were spread out in a single layer covering huge wooden platforms. The shrimp were then walked on to remove the heads. To insure uniform drying, the shrimp were stirred regularly with long wooden rakes. The entire process of sun-drying shrimp took three to 10 days based on the heat of the sun.

Cajuns have produced many recipes using dried shrimp to include fricassee, stews, sauce piquant, gumbos and as a snack. Our “Asian Cajuns” are to be thanked for their contributions to our excellent Cajun cuisine.



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