Gnocchi Gado Gado with Peanut Sauce

[ Collaboration with Casa Rinaldi ]

Was offered 2 packets of Casa Rinaldi Gnocchi (NYOH-kee, NOH-kee) to try by GUSTOSO SG in collaboration with Singapore Home Cooks.

Prior to this, I'm totally unfamiliar with this pasta which looks like plump little lumps the size of my thumb (haha, it rhymes!). The gnocchi is made mostly of potato and wheat flour; to cook it, simply add them to salted boiling water and once they float to the surface it's considered done and ready to eat. The Italians usually eat with it pasta sauce, or sometimes they panfry the gnocchi and coat with cheese sauce.

When asked to try infusing some local flavours to the gnocchi, one of the dish that came to my mind is the (Indonesian) Gado Gado with Peanut Sauce. I'm a big Gado Gado fan and I make this salad very often as my lunch. Since the gnocchi is made mostly of potato and wheat flour, it's the perfect substitution for potato and ketupat (rice cake). Yay, I can cut down the preparation of ingredients since it's two-in-one!

This fusion Gnocchi Gado Gado is really easy to put together! My key ingredients are gnocchi, tempe and hard-boil egg along with lettuce, cucumber, carrot and bean sprouts. Feel free to add any other ingredients you prefer, like tau kwa (firm tofu) and cabbage, but these are already sufficient for me.

I chose to deep-fry the gnocchi (after boiling) because after deep-frying the gnocchi has a more chewy texture with a slightly crispy crust which I prefer. Well, I'm already deep-frying the tempe anyway.

And not to forget the Peanut Sauce which is a quick and easy version. Simply blend toasted skinless peanuts,  garlic, chilli padi (use less or omit if don't like spicy), tamarind juice, kecap manis, belachan and water to a paste, then bring to boil with water, gula melaka and lime juice to taste.

Gnocchi Gado Gado with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

• 200g gnocchi
• 100g tempe, cut into thick strips
• 1/2 pc cucumber, shredded
• 1/2 pc carrot, shredded
• 50g bean sprout, blanched
• 5 leaves lettuce
• Few sprigs of parsley
• 1 hard-boil egg

Peanut Sauce

• 100g peanut (skinless), toasted
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1pc chilli padi
• 2 tbsp tamarind juice
• 2 tbsp kecap manis
• 1/2 tsp belachan, toasted
• 2 tbsp gula melaka
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup water
• Juice from 1 lime

Steps

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the gnocchi. Once all the gnocchi float, drain, pat dry and set aside. 
2. Add cooking oil to a pot and set on medium heat, deep fry the gnocchi till they turn crusty. Drain on kitchen towel and set aside.
3. Next deep fry the tempe till they turn golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel and set aside.
4. Blend peanut, garlic, chilli padi, tamarind juice, kecap manis and belachan in a food chopper or processor till they turn into paste. Add some water if necessary.
5. Add the paste, gula melaka and water to a small pot and bring to boil. Add lime juice to taste. Peanut sauce is ready.
6. To serve, arrange lettuce, shredded cucumber and carrot, bean sprout, gnocchi, tempe and parsley in a bowl or plate. Drizzle with warm peanut sauce. Ready to serve.

 

You can choose to drizzle the peanut sauce onto the salad as you eat, or simply pour all of it and toss with all the ingredients.

Ooooh, I love love love how my Gnocchi Gado Gado turns out! The deep-fried gnocchi goes really well with the peanut sauce! In fact, it's quite addictive to munch into the crispy yet chewy gnocchi. I find myself dipping the gnocchi into the peanut sauce and popping it into my mouth non-stop.

This is definitely going to be a staple ingredient in my gado gado from now onwards!

Casa Rinaldi Gnocchi is available exclusively at NTUC finest under the pasta section. (Retail price at $9.50 per pack). Don't miss out Casa Rinaldi giveaway at http://bit.ly/2f9PfwJ

#CasaRinaldiSG