By Eli Talbert
Ingredients:
2 cups rice
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 large onions
1 head of garlic
1 pint of okra
2 cups of eggplant (any variety)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 pound of mushrooms
3 bell peppers
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
2 cups vegetable stock
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper
smoked paprika
hot sauce
Directions:
Basil rice
Rinse 2 cups rice until the water runs clear put into a pot.
Add 1/4 cup basil and cook over medium heat until rice starts to become clear.
Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil let boil for a couple minutes then reduce to a simmer cover with lid.
Vegan gumbo
Dice onions, garlic, and one of your bell peppers and put them together in a bowl.
Chop the eggplant the other 2 bell peppers and the okra.
Rip up the mushrooms into bite sized amounts and set aside, you're going to be adding these towards the end unless they're particularly meaty mushrooms like chicken of the woods or hen of the woods.
Mix the oil and flour and cook over medium to low heat it should have a thick gravy like texture - this is a roux if it's too thick add little more oil too thin a little flour cook until your roux becomes a rich brown color.
Add all your vegetables they will cook very quickly so add bigger chunks first and work your way smaller cook until everything is soft add all your seasonings.
Add your vegetable stock slowy starting with a 1/4 cup mix it all together then a half cup then a full cup mix thoroughly it should have a thick texture perfect for serving over rice.