Spices

2 tsp	salt
2 tsp	granulated garlic
½ tsp	black pepper
½ tsp	white pepper
1 tsp	ground coriander
½ tsp	oregano
½ tsp	thyme

Other Stuff

3½ cups	chopped onions (Gumbo is not the time to use a food processor, it turns the vegetables to mush)
1½ cups	chopped celery (Gumbo is not the time to use a food processor, it turns the vegetables to mush)
¾ cup	corn or canola oil
1 cup	all purpose flour
3-4 lbs	peeled shrimp (3 lbs will do but 4 lbs is better.  Small shrimp don't look as good but you get one in every spoonful and they don't need to be deveined)
1 lb	crab meat (claw meat works great and it's cheaper, don't use pasteurized canned crab meat or that imitation krab meat)
1½ lb	andouille or polish sausage
1 to 1½ quarts	water
¼ cup	finely sliced green onions
	cooked rice

Hey, I could make a living doing nothing but selling this stuff. It’s nectar from the gods. It costs a bunch to get the ingredients, but it keeps for a week in the fridge, and freezes well. Here's a note or two about gumbo.  Gumbo is NOT spicy hot.  If you or your family want spicy gumbo put a bottle of Tabasco on the table and let each person determine how spicy they want it.  The darker the roux, the less thickening power it has.  A very dark roux has almost no thickening power and a light brown roux will thicken the gumbo a lot.  Adjust the water accordingly.

Mix the onions and celery together and set aside. Mix the spices together and set aside. Make a medium to dark brown roux with the flour and oil in a big pot (cast iron!) and remove it from the heat. While the roux is still very hot, stir in half of the celery and onions and half of the spices. Stir this for the next 5 minutes.

Add 1 quart of the water to the pot. Stir the water and roux mixture until all of the roux is completely stirred in and there are no clumps of it in the pot. Add the andouille, and remaining spices and onions and celery. Bring this to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. (It is very important that the roux is well stirred in and that you simmer it for at least 45 minutes or the gumbo will taste floury)

After the gumbo has cooked for 45 minutes, add the shrimp and crab and simmer for 2 or three minutes more.  Now check the consistency.  Add the extra half quart of water if you want or leave it out if you think the consistency is good.

Serve the gumbo over rice and sprinkle the green onions on top. This stuff is as good as it gets.

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