Cajun Food is More Than Just Spicy

New Orleans is the Mecca of Cajun food, where fare is spicy and full of soul. Food in the Crescent City and in neighboring Cajun country throughout southern Louisiana is distinctive: seafood-centric, heavy on root vegetables, and, of course, spiked with Tabasco. People outside of the region looking to emulate the Cajun style of cooking may run into a few road blocks; some essential ingredients, like file, are rare outside the area. But with a little luck and a few good tips, the basics of Cajun cooking are easy to master.

The first rule of cooking Cajun is there are no rules. Most dishes have no exactly proportioned recipe attached, so you'll have to experiment with spices and quantities until you find what tastes right. A well-stocked pantry is also essential, but once you have some basic ingredients it's easy to create a variety of dishes.

For Cajun cooking, you'll almost always need garlic, red pepper, bell peppers, celery, onions, hot sauce, bay leaves, and parsley. Good meats to have on hand are andouille sausage, which is seasoned with fennel; some sort of bacon or salt pork; chicken; and all kinds of seafood. Dry goods like rice and beans are also necessary. If you can find Tony Chachere's, a peppery spice that's used like salt, buy it. This can be added to almost any dish for a kick.

Andouille sausage might be hard to find if you're far from the south, as could fresh seafood. Crawfish are popular in southern Louisiana, but you will most likely have to forgo eating them unless you're in the area or are willing to settle for second-rate seafood. Alligator is another item you'll find on the menu in Louisiana but that you probably won't see elsewhere. Some things that are popular in Cajun cooking, like mirlitons, are called different named in other areas. In other parts of the country, mirlitons are known as chayote squash. If you encounter a strange ingredient in a Cajun recipe, always look it up in case you know it by another name.

A lot of people fall victim to the misconception that Cajun just means spicy. This is not true. While most Cajun food is flavored with spicy peppers and hot sauce, there are plenty of mild Cajun and New Orleans-style dishes to try too. Don't shy away from Cajun food if you're afraid of spice. You can always add less pepper or hot sauce than the recipe calls for and still have an authentic Cajun meal.

The realm of Cajun cooking contains some fabulous dishes that everyone should try at some point-red beans and rice, gumbo, jambalaya, boiled crawfish, and boudin. If you're up for something different, find a Cajun recipe and have fun. You're sure to experience new flavors.