Gumbo which is stew or a soup which originates from southern Louisiana.
The only one I know of is a West African plant whose seed pod is a vegetable eaten on its own or in soups. The Louisiana soup "gumbo" is okra thickened. "Gumbo" derives from a West African word for okra.
Thickening it
To thicken!!! sauces, soup, gravy, stews
Gumbo is a soup or stew made in Louisiana that can be made with a Roux which is flour and grease browned together and then when you get it as dark as you want it, then you add water or broth. You always have the trinity which is onion, bell pepper, and celery sauteed in it, and you add tomatoes. Okra is optional. Then, depending on what kind of gumbo you are making you add seafood, duck, chicken, alligator, sausage, or any combination of things, and cook it several hours and traditionally it is served over rice or you can have it as a delicious soup.
a spicy chicken or seafood soup thickened typically with okra or rice.
Banku, FuFu, Kenkey, Groundnut Soup, Okra Stew
Rice and soups (cassava leaves, potato greens, beans, okra soup, and more....)_
Tapioca when added to a soup, or stew serves as a thickening agent much like cornstarch.
Gumbo originated in New Orleans, Louisiana and was created by the French, but enhanced by contributions of several cultures. These cultures included the Cajuns (first known as the Canadian immigrants), the French, Choctaw tribesmen, African-Americans, Spaniards, Italians, and Germans. The dish itself is based on the French soup known as bouillabaisse. However, the dish's name is from the French interpretation of the West African name of okra.
If your soup has no thickening agent (ie. cornstarch or flour) it will freeze well with no adverse effects.
Well, honey, technically you can use baking powder to thicken soup, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you want your soup to taste like a science experiment gone wrong. Flour is the classic thickening agent for a reason - it blends seamlessly and won't leave your taste buds questioning your life choices. So, do yourself a favor and stick to flour, unless you're feeling adventurous and want to risk a soupy disaster.