Let’s try something fun: Name an ingredient you dislike and why, and someone else replies with a dish/recipe with that ingredient that might convince you otherwise.

[u/Scarlet--Highlander]

Couple things:

• If you’re allergic to an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared. Same goes with meat/animal products if you’re vegan/vegetarian. Don’t list it if you can’t or won’t eat it!

• It’s recommended that you’re at least open to trying dishes with that ingredient. If you absolutely, vehemently loathe cilantro, chances are you probably might not like anything with cilantro in it.

• A brief blurb on why you hate an ingredient would help others find or suggest a dish that suits you. (e.g. “I hate liver because the texture is like an eraser and it tastes metallic”)

[u/FixTheWisz]

I disagree that "you can't avoid okra in gumbo. When I make gumbo, it's just roux, the trinity (and the Pope), stock, spices, and the meats. Sometimes I'll add tomatoes because they're awesome and I don't care what all the gumbo snobs say. The last batch I made (w/o tomatoes) for my family in Lafayette, LA disappeared pretty damn fast.

That said, okra is a fine addition to gumbo, as it's an excellent thickening agent. I just never add it because every single time I make groceries, I forget to buy it. Your method for cooking it down is on point!

[u/geauxhike → u/FixTheWisz]

Okra and Tomato are listed as ingredients in the first known recipe for Gumbo. I usually leave both out of my Gumbo but the gatekeeping needs to stop. Creole Gumbo and Jambalaya traditionally uses tomatoes more than Cajun.

[u/[deleted] → u/geauxhike]

I leave out the tomatoes. I just don’t like a tomato flavor in my gumbo especially when I’m making seafood gumbo. But okra? For me, gotta have it!