Creamy Tom Yum Seafood Gnocchi 冬炎海鲜马铃薯丸子

*in collaboration with Casa Rinaldi for gnocchi

Gnocchi is a type of traditional Italian pasta. Literally, they're small dumplings that's primarily made up of potatoes, semolina or flour. It's a staple for many places in Europe for the longest time. I remember watching MasterChefs series on TV and always marvel at the contestants' abilities to make their own gnocchi. I had always wanted to try it. Casa Rinaldi has made it so easy and convenient now by introducing the packet ones to Singapore. All we have to do is to boil it for short few minutes and the gnocchi could be served with any sauce and cooked ingredients. One may of course pan fry or deep fry the gnocchi for a different feel too! Do you believe that cooking gnocchi is actually easier than cooking rice? When I was given an opportunity to try out Casa Rinaldi's gnocchi, my immediate thought was to pair them with something Asian to make it uniquely ours. So, this Creamy Tom Yum Seafood Gnocchi 冬炎海鲜马铃薯丸子is really one successful cooking experiment to marry something from the East and West. And I did it without using any store bought Tom Yum paste!

My husband fell in love with this dish (and in particular the gnocchi) immediately. He told me it's a perfect combo. How can I not be happy? Seeing him finishing everything up in his bowl in content is just worth all my time and efforts.... 

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

Ingredients (enough for 2 pax) :

• 300 gm Casa Rinaldi Gnocchi (available at NTUC Finest)
• 8 pcs prawns (with head and shells)
• 1 pc cuttlefish (cleaned and sliced)
• 200 gm white or brown clams (optional)
• 4 large pcs oyster mushrooms or 8 to 10 shitake mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 tomato (cut to wedges) or 8 cherry tomatoes
• 4 pcs baby corn
• 500 ml home brewed frozen prawn heads stock (Click here : Prawn Heads Stock Base 虾头浓汤底 for recipe ) or use store bought seafood stock.    
• 3 stalks lemon grass (pressed and chopped)
• 2 pcs thumb size galangal (peel and sliced)
• 10 pcs kaffir lime leaves 
• 1 large onion (peeled and sliced)
• 5 cloves garlic (peeled and pressed)
• 2 to 3 chili padi or bird's eye chili (sliced)
• 1 red chili (sliced and deseed; do not deseed if you prefer very hot and spicy)
• 4 to 5 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup lime juice (from about 2 Thai green limes)(or to taste)
• 2 tbsp Thai chili paste
• 1 to 2 tbsp gula melaka/palm sugar (or to taste)(it's alright to use white sugar)
• a handful of coriander (chopped for garnishing)
• +/-150 ml coconut cream (depending on your desired thickness)
• a dash of paprika
• cooking oil

(tsp = teaspoon; tbsp = tablespoon) 

Method :

1. Heat a little cooking oil in pot and lightly stir fry all aromatics ingredients (i.e. galangal, onions, lemon grass, garlic) in soup pot at medium heat.
2. Toss in mushrooms and baby corns to give it a quick stir fry. 
3. Add frozen prawn heads stock into the pot. Allow frozen stock to be simmered and melted in the pot. Wait till boiled.
4. Add fish sauce into soup. 
5. Add sliced chillies and kaffir lime leaves into soup. Do note to tear the leaves, not cut. You would feel a distinctive difference in fragrance by tearing instead of cutting the leaves.
6. Add Thai chili paste and gula melaka/palm sugar.
7. Stir and taste test to your satisfaction. By now, you should be able to achieve the tom yum taste less the sourness from the lime juice.
8. Cover lid and simmer for 10 minutes at medium heat.
9. After 10 minutes, turn to low heat. Remove lid and slowly fold in prawns, squid, clams, tomatoes in sequence. Fold in each ingredient at 30 seconds interval.
10. Poach gnocchi in the tom yum soup with the assistance of a strainer till boiled (so that gnocchi will not be lost in the pot). It'll only take about 2 minutes. Gnocchi will turn mushy if over cooked.
11. Remove gnocchi and set aside when cooked.
12. Seafood will also take about 2 to 3 minutes till cooked. Do not overcook seafood.
13. Prawns may emit foam whilst boiling. Skim the foam off the top.
14. Fold in coconut cream and stir well.
15. Turn off heat.
16. Fold in lime juice. 
17. Stir and taste test to your satisfaction. Some like it more sour, some like it more spicy, some like it more salty. You may adjust lime juice, chili, fish sauce and sugar in accordance to your preference.
18. Dish out. Plate ingredients and creamy soup with cooked gnocchi.
19. Garnish with chopped coriander and a dash of paprika before serve.
20. Serve whilst hot.

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