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filé powder = filé = gumbo file =
gumbo filé = ground sassafras leaves
= sassafras leaves = file powder = file = fil powder = fil Pronunciation: FEE-lay or
fih-LAY Notes: This powder is made from the
same leaves that used to give root beer its distinctive flavor, back in
the days before artificial flavorings. Southerners add filé to their gumbos to thicken
and flavor them. The powder gets stringy when it's heated, so add it
only after you've removed the gumbo
from the heat source. Filé also doesn't reheat well,
so add it only to the gumbo that you're planning to eat right away. Substitutes:
okra (Cooking this vegetable in your gumbo is another traditional way to thicken
it.) OR cornstarch (This is another thickener, but it lacks filé's distinctive
root beer-like flavor.) |
