French Creole Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. okra
6 hard-shell crabs, broken in pieces
1 lb. shrimp
1 small slice green ham
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 can tomato paste
salt
pepper
4 Tbsp. cooking oil

Preparation

Put oil in pot and let it get hot.
Cut okra in small circles; salt and pepper to taste.
Put into oil and fry, stirring often to keep from scorching.
Chop onion and garlic and add as soon as the okra begins to brown.
Cook 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste and one quart of water.
After it is boiling, put in shrimp, crabs and ham.
Cover with lid and cook on very slow fire for 1 1/2 hours. Serve with boiled rice.