Cooking the Cajun way is an expression of a rich and nature-loving culture. This bayou country cooking that includes a lot of aromatic vegetables, herbs, spices and ingredients offers more than a mere lagniappe from swamp to the pantry, creating some of the most savory dishes known throughout North America.
Cajun cooking style is truly impressive that it is often imitated around the world but hardly ever has anybody perfectly duplicated the inherent flavor in its food. It's a marvel to behold how Cajun country folks have thrived along the swamps, marshes and prairies for more than two centuries, a proof of the living tale of cooking that's beyond compare.
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One of the fascinating facts about Cajun cooking is its very few exact recipes that focus on taste factor rather than defined quantities. It is amazing how a certain dish can be cooked by a single cook from day to day but quite likely to taste a little bit different each time it is made. The hidden spice of a Cajun dish lies in the mood of the cook, so the mood of the one cooking decides the taste. Gleeful cooking yields a delicious dish, while cooking angry turns out one to be hot and spicy. All these come from the Cajun cooking belief that good food is all about the summit of heart and soul.
If you're like famous Cajun chef Emeril Lagasse who likes to kick it up to notches, the unique Cajun cooking style is your craze. There is something far beyond the ingredients that lie somewhere between the heart and soul of the one cooking, which you can only find in Cajun cooking. This explains why plentiful southern cooked dishes are known as "soul food" in a memorable dining experience in the heart of the Deep South, New Orleans.
If you are not in the Cajun country, perhaps preparing a good Cajun dish can be very difficult. Only in New Orleans that you can find the right ingredients from the freshest seasonings and spices, to the freshest shrimp and crawfish. It's rarely possible to get the most essential ingredients of original Cajun cuisine outside the heart of the old South.
In deciding how to make Cajun food on your own, the foremost thing you need to do is to first find the ingredients. Be aware that these resources are very limited, so you need to be extra resourceful in your search. Even though you're not in New Orleans, there can be a limited stock of Cajun seasonings in some grocer's international food aisles. You can even find specialty food shops that offer special order services.
Once you have the ingredients, it's time you get your own feel of a real Cajun folk in the bayou setting. A dash of bopping blares will be great to set the mood. The moment you're ready, always remember that the best Cajun dishes involve a considerable amount of time for simmering, and don't forget that when it comes to preparing Cajun food, you must learn that the food will be ready in time, so take all the time needed and the patience to get the mood for a stunning success of your first Cajun dish.