I. M. Gei posted:

No, I cooked the rice separately and then added it.

I didn't realize there was a rule that you're not supposed to add rice to the gumbo during cooking. I've literally always added rice to my gumbo while cooking it cuz I just figured that's how it's done. All the recipes I've ever seen say to either cook the rice *in* the gumbo or make it separately during cooking, and I always assumed the latter meant you're supposed to add the finished rice to the gumbo while it cooks.

I've eaten plenty of gumbos where the rice was separate until serving time, but I always thought that was a personal preference thing where some people do it and others don't. I've also eaten a lot of gumbos where the two are already mixed. Isn't the whole point of gumbo that there are no right or wrong ways to do it as long as it tastes good?