Creole Jambalaya - a quintessential New Orleans classic dish

I have only been to New Orleans once but I can’t wait to go there again. There is something different about the whole city. Architecture wise, it reminds me of our Indian metropolitan city – Kolkata (you can see the similarities in French architecture). The streets are often narrow and it floods (if only for a few minutes) when it rains, creating that same nose shrinking smell which you can only feel in a place packed with tourists. I may not be a fan of Bourbon street but New Orleans’s food and music was enough to win my heart. We actually wanted to visit New Orleans one more time before moving to Kansas City but couldn’t. Well, I may not be able to prepare those beignets but I can certainly prepare the quintessential dish of New Orleans – Jambalaya.

What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a one pot rice dish. It is prepared with what is called ‘The Holy Trinity’ of three ingredients – Onion, Celery and Bell Pepper. Along with the spices and vegetables, Jambalaya also has a good amount of protein in it. So, with every bite you will taste some tender chicken, juicy shrimp or spicy Andouille sausage thus making the whole experience divine. This dish is super easy to prepare and so flavorful and I wont be surprised if this becomes your next comfort food. During the winter months, don’t forget to add some jalapenos for that extra kick. This delicious dish is also perfect to cook with friends or family. 

Personally I prefer these one pot recipes. They are easy to prepare and don’t involve too many utensils to cook and wash. Plus, I think there is something beautiful about a pot filled to the brim. Since the rice is packed with vegetables and meat, it takes a lot of time to cool down. So you can just keep digging in and enjoy every last bite still warm from the pot.

Jambalaya – not only a mix of ingredients but also of cuisines

I think the flavors of Jambalaya have to do with its many influences. Though this is essentially a Louisiana dish, you can easily see Spanish (Valencian rice dish – Paella), African and French (Provence rice dish – Jambalaia) influences in it as all these cuisines have a rice dish mixed with meat and vegetables. The onion, celery and bell pepper make a soffritto like mixture making the dish aromatic and appetizing. Now you must be wondering what Soffritto means. Soffritto is a sauce prepared by sautéing different types of aromatic ingredients in the oil. It usually consists of garlic, onion, tomatoes and peppers along with spices like bay leaves. This sauce is one of the reasons why I find Jambalaya similar to our biryani. Although Jambalaya is derived from Paella, it is hotter in flavor, thus making it closer to my Indian palate.

I like cutting bite size pieces of the chicken and sausage and frying them well before adding in the rest of the ingredients. I feel that by doing this, the fat and juices of the sausage drips in the pot and brings a better flavor in the dish. Although I always add Chicken Andouille sausage in this dish, you are most welcome to add your favorite sausages (or whatever is available in your freezer). 

If you are adding Shrimp, make sure to add it at the very end so that it doesn’t overcook. I add it right after adding the rice and the spices. This helps it to absorb all the delicious flavors and cooks just right. Yes, before serving this to friends or family please make sure to ask for any Shrimp allergy.

What is Cajun:

New Orleans cuisine is divided into two parts – Cajun and Creole. Jambalaya is prepared in both ways. The main difference is; Cajun Jambalaya is prepared without tomatoes. I read somewhere that it is more rustic and is associated with the French Acadian people who settled in the swamps. They started cooking the dish with what the land alone offered. The swamps didn’t have any tomatoes; hence the dish got its color from the browned bits of meat. The old Cajun families usually owned only one pot, hence the dish evolved with that one pot concept. They used to add everything in the pot, give it a stir then cover for a slow long cook. We all know that slow cooking brings a beautiful delicious flavor in the dish. It helps break down the meat while the rice and the vegetables absorb all the juices. Even now the Cajun Jambalaya follows a similar method. The meat is cooked till it gets a brown color, followed by the onion, celery and bell pepper. Then stock and seasonings are added, followed by the rice. When the rice is cooked, the dish is ready to be served. 

What is Creole? 

I think it is fascinating that we associate home and food together. I love enjoying different cuisines occasionally but my heart belongs with Indian food. Without it our house doesn’t feel like home. I think the early Spanish settlers had the same feeling in their hearts when they first came to this country. The French quarter of New Orleans hence features the Creole version which is very similar to Paella without the saffron. They started using tomatoes to cut the import cost of saffron (mind you in this area Tomatoes were readily available). With time, the dish evolved and became Creole Jambalaya.

Difference between Creole and Cajun

There is not a major difference between the Cajun and Creole Jambalaya except the color and that is because Creole originated from Cajun. However, instead of adding everything in the pot at the same time, the Creole version does layering. First meats are fried, then onion is caramelized and so on. I think it also makes it closer to a variation of Indian Biryani. Maybe that is why we like it more. This whole deglazing or Sucs (as the French call it) bring loads of flavors into the whole dish. By browning the meat first and then adding the broth and tomatoes in the same pan, we not only scrape all those bits of meat stuck on the bottom of the pan but also save ourselves from doing some heavy cleaning later on. Since the Creole was a sophisticated version of Jambalaya, this version also started including Shrimp.

Now you can very well use a readymade creole seasoning but I prefer a homemade mix. It just makes the whole dish taste fresher and bolder. So, before going to the market to buy the readymade mix, try looking in your pantry for the spices. Another reason for making the spice mix at home is Oregano! This is one spice which is not Debarshi’s favorite and hence I prefer to skip it if I can. If you or your loved ones also have similar preferences, then definitely go for the homemade version.

What to use while cooking Jambalaya

I guess any good non stick pot will work for this dish. However, traditionally Jambalaya is associated with Cast Iron pot or Dutch Oven. You can imagine that a few decades back all these new fancy materials were not available. Most of the families had a big heavy pot and they used it to cook almost everything. Also, slow cooking is best done in a heavy lidded pot. Cast iron is known for its durability and heat conductivity. So, if you want to approach this dish in the traditional way, cast iron pot is the way to go.

Jambalaya is not Gumbo:

I think many people confuse Gumbo with Jambalaya. Mind you, they are two different dishes. Gumbo is a stew or soup. It is prepared with a roux (equal parts of flour and fat cooked together) to thicken it. The name has been derived from Africa and it means Okra. You guessed it right, Okra is an integral part of Gumbo and it is added not only for flavor but also as a thickener. Gumbo is served over rice whereas Jambalaya is prepared with rice. Now you may add Okra in Jambalaya for flavor but I think it is important to know that the two dishes are prepared in totally different ways. 

What can I serve with Jambalaya?

I like this dish best with some onion slices. You can also serve this with cornbread or sliced baguette. A crisp salad with a simple dressing also goes very well. Keep in mind that Jambalaya has many spices in it so keep the sides simple. 

I hope this recipe will remind you of the original New Orleans Creole Jambalaya. Please post in the comments section how it turned out. Any suggestions or ideas are welcome.

Ingredients:

• Butter - 2 tablespoons, unsalted
• Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons 
• Chicken – 1 cup, boneless, cut into bite size pieces 
• Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
• Onion – ¾ cup, chopped 
• Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Sausage – 1 cup, preferably Chicken Andouille
• Rice - 1 cup, uncooked, long grain white, washed
• Sugar - 1 teaspoon 
• Thyme - 1 teaspoon dried or ¼ cup chopped fresh 
• Bay Leaves - 2 
• Shrimp – 2 cups, fresh or frozen, uncooked, peeled and deveined
• Celery – ½ cup, chopped 
• Green Pepper – ¼ cup, chopped 
• Diced Tomatoes - 1 can (14.5 ounces), un-drained
• Chicken Broth - 2 cups
• Scallions - 6, thinly sliced, divide the white and green parts separately
• Oregano – ½ teaspoon (optional)

Tip: Sauté the Shrimp in butter for a better texture.

Homemade Creole Seasoning:

• Garlic Powder – ¼ teaspoon 
• Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Black Pepper – ¼ teaspoon 
• Dried Parsley - 1 tablespoon 
• Onion Powder - 1 tablespoon 

Directions:

• Heat a non stick big pot over high heat. 
• Add the Butter and Olive Oil in it.
• As soon as the butter melts, add the Chicken, start frying. When it turns golden, add the minced garlic.
• Keep frying till the water from the chicken dries up and the chicken turns golden red.
• Add the Onion with a pinch of Salt.
• Add the Sausage and continue frying
• Add the Rice and start adding the spices (Sugar, Dried Thyme, Garlic Powder, Bay Leaves, Chili Powder, Black Pepper, Dried Parsley, Onion Powder and adjust the Salt as well). Fry for 2-3 minutes. Tip: If you are adding Oregano add it as well.
• Add the Celery and Green Pepper along with the Shrimp. Fry for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add the Tomatoes and the Chicken Broth, mix well and cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the white part of the Scallions and cover and cook for another 7-10 minutes.
• Garnish with the green part of the Scallions and serve hot.

Recommended Reading:

• Cafe Du Monde and New Orleans
• Red Beans and Rice
• Quick Weeknight Dinner - Shrimp Stir Fry
• Chingri Malai Curry (Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk)
• Buying and Preparing Shrimp
• Chingri Alur Dalna (Shrimp and Potatoes Gravy)
• Grilled Shrimp Plate with Fire Roasted Corn Salsa
• Alu Shimla Mirch Tamatar Sabji (Potato with Bell Peppers in a Tomato gravy)
• Jalapeno Shrimp