Spiced Chickpea Flour Gnocchi with Coconut Spinach Sauce

These spiced chickpea flour gnocchi are deliciously savory bites, tender on the inside and golden on the outside, served on a divine coconut spinach sauce so good you will want to lick the plate not to miss a single drop. 

When I first saw the delicious. magazine recipe from which mine is adapted, I questioned calling these little squares gnocchi because they were unlike any gnocchi I’d ever seen before. Gnocchi dough is rolled into a long sausage then cut in bits and boiled, right? If you are French, you might cook it à la poêle, in a pan browned in butter, but it's still little ovals of potato pasta.

But just a couple of weeks later, I was researching Roman recipes for another blogger event and I came across many for gnocchi that reminded me of my crispy polenta. Case in point, Serious Eats' Gnocchi alla Romana. It is indeed very similar in method to this chickpea flour version, aside from the shape. 

So I guess the potato gnocchi I’ve been making all these years is Italian, not Roman, but my crispy polenta is! Who knew?

Anyhoo, name aside, you are going to want to make these guys. We absolutely loved them and the spiced coconut spinach sauce as well. I'm not kidding when I say you'll want to lick the plate. It looks like a lot of ingredients and many steps but they are all super easy. Give this a try! You will not regret it. 

Spiced Chickpea Flour Gnocchi with Spinach Coconut Sauce

Here in the States, bags of spinach generally come measured in ounces and/or pounds. If you live elsewhere and can get a one kilo bag, go ahead and use the whole thing. This recipe is adapted from one in delicious. magazine, the UK edition, from the talented Chef Vivek Singh of The Cinnamon Club in London.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi:

3 cups or 735g Greek yogurt (sub a non-dairy yogurt to make this vegan friendly)

1 3/4 cups or 210g chickpea (gram) flour plus extra for dusting

1 1/2 cups + 4 teaspoons or 375ml water

1 piece (about 1 in or 2.5cm) fresh ginger

4 small hot red chili peppers

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon asafetida (if you can't find this, skip it. I'm addicted to the aroma of asafetida but I can't say I notice much of a flavor difference when it's added to a recipe)

1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds aka kalongi 

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Plus canola or other light oil for pan frying

For the coconut spinach sauce:

28 oz or 794g young leaf spinach

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon gram flour

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

4 hot red chili peppers, minced

3/4 cup or 180ml coconut cream (not milk - we want the thick stuff for extra flavor!)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

For the tempering:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 whole dried red chili peppers, broken into small pieces

2-3 sprigs fresh curry leaves

Method

Line a 9x9 in or x 23x23cm pan with baking parchment. 

Peel the ginger and cut the stems off of the chili peppers. Chop the ginger roughly. Use a small food processor to mince both finely. Alternatively, you can use a pestle and mortar to grind them into a paste. 

Use a little of the water measure to rinse the processor or mortar to make sure you don’t leave any ginger/pepper behind. 

Mix all the gnocchi ingredients together in a pan and whisk to combine.

Cook gently for 12-15 minutes until thickened and shiny, whisking, then stirring as it thickens, all the while.

Transfer to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly to cool. Cover well with cling film and chill for up to 24 hours. 

When you are ready to complete the dish, put a 1/4 cup or 60ml water in your largest pot that has a lid. Bring it to the boil then add the spinach. Pop the lid on. If you don't have a pot this large, put as much as you can in, then add handfuls as the spinach shrinks and makes room until it's all been added.

Cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Tip it into a bowl with ice water. 

Drain in a colander. Put a bowl under the colander when most of the water has drained and push down on the spinach so even more water drains and collects in the bowl. 

Purée the spinach in a food processor, adding a little of the spinach water, if necessary to get it moving. Set aside. (yield: 2 3/4 cups spinach purée)

Heat the oil for the coconut spinach sauce in a medium sized pot over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, then the garlic and stir until the garlic is golden. Add the chickpea flour and stir until it gives off a roasted aroma about 1-2 minutes. 

Add the spinach puree to the pan and bring to a slow boil, stirring often. Turn down the heat, add the ginger and chili peppers.

Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, add the salt and sugar then sprinkle in the garam masala. Keep warm. 

For the tempering, strip the curry leaves off of the stems then heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the red chili peppers, mustard seeds and curry leaves. 

Once the spices crackle, stir till dry and remove from the heat. 

Cut the cooled gnocchi into 36 squares. Lightly dust the gnocchi with a little more gram flour. I find using a small sieve for this most helpful. 

Drizzle a little oil into a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat then fry the gnocchi in batches, turning them until they are browned on all sides. 

Remove them to a pan in a warm oven, with a wire rack and paper towels to absorb any oil as you finish each batch. Keep warm. 

Divide the coconut spinach sauce between plates then top with the golden gnocchi and sprinkle with the tempered spice mix to serve.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes made with chickpea flour, also known as gram flour or besan. It’s commonly used in many Asian cuisines, predominantly in the subcontinent, for savory dishes and baking. According to Wikipedia, it contains a high proportion of carbohydrates as well as higher fiber and protein relative to other flours. It is naturally gluten free, making it a healthy choice for many. Check out all the recipe links below! Many thanks to our host, Renu of Cook with Renu for hosting today and for this wonderful theme.

• Airfryer Banana Crisps by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Onion Pakoda/Bhajiyas by Sneha’s Recipe
• Spiced Chickpea Flour Gnocchi with Coconut Spinach Sauce by Food Lust People Love
• Tawa Bread Pakora by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Vegan Chickpea Tomato Omelette by Cook with Renu
• Zucchini Fritters by A Day in the Life on the Farm

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Red Pesto Linguine

Bright in color and flavor, this red pesto linguine is a spicy bowl of deliciousness made with anchovies and Fresno peppers. It’s even great as leftovers so make the whole recipe. 

I keep a lot of pantry staples on hand but one of my favorites is anchovies. That little can adds so much flavor and salt to almost any savory dish from a classic Caesar dressing to a simple caramelized shallot tart. If you have olives and peppers as well, which I almost always do, you can make gildas, which are a Spanish appetizer that goes great with a glass of something chilled. 

I’ve also been known to add anchovies to Dauphinoise potatoes, turning those creamy spuds into a Swedish dish called Jansson’s Frestelse and I have used them, along with bacon and olives, to top a traditional Liguria pissaladière. In short, if I can work some anchovies into a recipe, I'm going to try! 

Today, anchovies are the star ingredient of this red pesto. 

Red Pesto Linguine

This recipe is adapted from one on the Bon Appetit website where they used a scant six anchovies and, it would seem, none of the good and flavorful olive oil the anchovies were packed in. This is a missed opportunity which I have rectified. You can, of course, use whatever pasta shape you prefer but in my book, linguine is the best. 

Ingredients

1 can (2 oz or 56g) olive oil-packed anchovy fillets 

4 garlic cloves

About 1/2 cup or 120ml extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup or 60g walnut pieces

3 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste

2 fresh Fresno peppers

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 oz or 85g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1 lb or 450g linguine or your favorite pasta shape

Sea salt for the pasta water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method

Tip your can of anchovies into a measuring vessel and top up with good quality olive oil until you reach 2/3 cup. Use the side of your knife to smash the garlic and then chop it roughly. 

In a small pot, cook the anchovies, oil, garlic and walnuts over a medium heat, stirring often. 

Take it off the heat as the garlic is just beginning to turn golden. This takes several minutes but don’t walk off and leave it because you do not want the garlic to burn. 

Add tomato paste.

Cook, stirring often, until the anchovies have completely broken down, if they hadn’t already, and the mixture is a deep red. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. 

Cut the stems ends off of the peppers and then cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the seeds, then cut the peppers into smaller pieces. 

Transfer walnut mixture to a food processor. Add chili peppers and lemon juice. Process until completely smooth. 

Add in the grated Parmesan and process again until you have a thick paste. If it’s too thick for your processor, add a tablespoon or two of warm water and process again. 

Meanwhile, cook your linguine according to package instructions until al dente, lightly salting the water. Remove and reserve 1 1/2 cups or 355ml of the pasta water with a ladle. Drain the pasta in a colander. 

Scrape the pesto into the warm pot and add the butter. 

Pour the drained linguine back in along with a 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Use tongs or two wooden spoons to toss the linguine in the pesto until the butter is melted and the linguine is covered in sauce. Add more pasta water as needed. 

Serve the linguine topped with extra Parmesan. Because the more cheese, the better. 

Enjoy! 

It’s the third Friday of the month, the day my Fish Friday Foodie friends share seafood recipes. Many thanks our host, Sid of Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking who challenged us to use canned, frozen or pouched seafood to make appetizers or a meal for a theme she named Shortcut Seafood. Special thanks to Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for stepping up to help with behind the scenes work. Check out the links below. 

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla is plating an Ensalada de Atún y Pimientos
• A Day in the Life on the Farm is serving up Linguini with White Beans and Tuna 
• Sneha's Recipe cooked up Prawn and Onion Stir Fry
• Food Lust People Love made some Red Pesto Linguine 
• Palatable Pastime is giving us a Tea Room Tuna Salad Plate
• Karen's Kitchen Stories is ladling out a Smoked Salmon Bisque 
• Making Miracles shares her recipe for Tuna Patties

Are you a food blogger who would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies? We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month. To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517 (at) gmail.com. Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas. 

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Indian-spiced Pork Chop Potato Skillet

In this Indian-Spiced Pork Chop Potato Skillet you cook the chops till tender in a spicy tomato-onion sauce. Add potatoes and you have a full meal in one pan.

I’ve written before about what an adventurous eater my mom is. Such a role model! She can’t pass a road stand or food stall without trying whatever they are serving up. Of course, being from southern Louisiana, eating spicy is in our blood, but when we moved to Trinidad, the flavors and spices we were introduced to, and she began to use in her cooking, increased exponentially. 

At the ripe old age of five, I was already a curry addict. After three years we moved on to the next country but Mom kept making curry. It was a true family favorite. The meat might vary - beef or chicken or pork -but there had to be potatoes and, since that was the tradition, she served it over white rice. 

Indian-spiced Pork Chop Potato Skillet

This recipe isn’t strictly a curry but it certainly has many of the same flavors. I adapted it from a pressure cooker recipe on Magpie’s Recipes to go with the Keralan appam I made for a Bread Bakers event, so I skipped the rice. Appam looks like a lacy crepe and it’s made with a fermented rice batter, so I figured I did have rice, just in another form. You can serve it with rice, if you want to, but it’s a great one-pan skillet meal even without it, thanks to the potatoes!

Ingredients

4 thick pork chops – about 225g or 1/2 lb each 

3 tablespoons vinegar  

1 teaspoon sugar 

1 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium onions, sliced thin  (about 3/4 lb or 350g before peeling)

2 ripe beef steak or equivalent other tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 1 1/4 lbs or 600g whole) 

5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 3/4 lbs or 790g whole)

1 stick cinnamon

3 cloves

3 green cardamom pods

1 teaspoon ground cayenne 

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Chopped green onions to garnish, if desired. 

Method

Use a mallet to pound the meat part of the pork chops flat. Sprinkle them with the vinegar and season with the salt, sugar and pepper.  

Cover them with cling film and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for several hours, or even overnight. 

Heat one tablespoon of oil in your skillet and fry the chops two at a time over a high heat until browned on both sides. This should just take 3-4 minutes a side. Apologies for the lack of photos of this step. The chops kept spitting at the camera lens as they fried. Remove the chops to a clean plate. 

Drizzle in the second tablespoon of olive oil and add in the onions. Turn the fire down to medium and cook the onions for 5-6 minutes or until softened, breaking apart the slices with your stirring spoon. 

Add tomatoes and spices and stir. 

Return the chops to the pan and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes, checking occasionally and adding more water as needed so it doesn’t go dry. 

Add in the cubed potatoes and cook covered for another 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender, adding a little more salt, if necessary.

Remove the pork chops and stir the potatoes into the sauce to serve. Garnish with some green onions, if desired.

Enjoy! 

This week's Sunday FunDay theme is One Pot Wonders, delicious family meals with easy clean up to boot! Check out all the great recipes.  

• Arroz Caldo from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Chicken Pot Pie Stew from Making Miracles
• Indian-spiced Pork Chop Potato Skillet from Food Lust People Love
• Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Malaysian-Inspired Chicken and Pork Curry from Palatable Pastime
• Mujaddara from Mayuri's Jikoni
• One-Pot Cauliflower & Cheddar Soup with Thyme from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice 
• Shakshuka from Sneha's Recipe
• Sheet Pan Roast Chicken and Potatoes from Karen's Kitchen Stories

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Camarones a la Diabla - Deviled Shrimp #FishFridayFoodies

The wonderful bright sauce for Camarones a la Diabla or Deviled Shrimp is made with dried chili peppers, roma tomatoes, garlic and onions but the star of this dish is definitely the large flavorful shrimp. Serve with fresh corn tortillas as an appetizer or with rice as a main course.

Here in Texas we are big into Mexican food but frankly, much of it is what should properly called Tex-Mex and wouldn’t be recognized as Mexican food in its supposed country of origin. That’s why I was delighted when this month’s Fish Friday Foodies theme of Mexican seafood dishes was chosen. It’s always fun to explore new recipes and I rightly guessed that many I’d find on the internet were completely unfamiliar.

As with many regional dishes - this favorite is from the state of Veracruz, on the Gulf of Mexico coast - there seem to be as many camarones a la diabla recipes as there are Mexican mamás. Most use dried chili peppers and fresh tomatoes but sometimes chipotle peppers in adobo and roasted tomatoes are added and/or substituted.

I found them served with white rice, saffron rice, corn tortillas, avocados, limes and even fried platano, those lovely big bananas that turn super sweet when their skin is black and are wonderful for breakfast fried with butter.

I cooked fresh corn tortillas and served them with guacamole. Probably not traditional but they were delicious.

Camarones a la Diabla - Deviled Shrimp

I thought my Roma tomatoes, while quite lovely and ripe, were smaller than the ones I’m used to buying so I used four for this recipe. Come to find out, mine (at around 3 oz or 85g each) were in the medium range since Romas range in weight from 2-5 oz and 57-142g. Who knew? I give the exact weight I used below but know that a little more or less will still be delicious. My recipe is adapted from one on Isabel Eats.

Ingredients
8 dried guajillo chiles
3 dried chile de arbol chiles
4 Roma tomatoes (about 11 1/2 oz or 325g before coring)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more as needed
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs or 680g frozen headless shrimp, peel on (about 20 large shrimp)
salt and pepper, to taste

To garnish: fresh cilantro
To serve: corn tortillas, limes and (not pictured) guacamole or see suggestions above.

Method
Set the shrimp in a colander in the sink or over a bowl to thaw and drain, preferably overnight in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time for this, run a little tap water over the shrimp to thaw them drain in the refrigerator while you make the sauce.

Once thawed and drained, peel and clean the shrimp but leave the tails on. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and refrigerate again until needed.

Meanwhile, remove the stems from your arbol chiles (the little ones) and remove the stems and seeds from the dried guajillos (the large ones.) I find the easiest way to deseed guajillos is to run a pair of scissors or a sharp knife up one side to open the pepper. The seeds fall out with hardly any effort.

Put the dried peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Set a plate on top to hold the heat in.  Set aside for 15 minutes or until the chiles have softened.

Remove the hard cores and chop your Roma tomatoes into large dice. Leave the seeds in; they add flavor.

Dice the onion and roughly chop the garlic.

Transfer the softened chiles with a pair of tongs to a large blender or a deep vessel suitable for a hand blender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, onion, salt and sugar along with 1/4 cup or 60ml of the soaking water. Puree until completely smooth.

Heat a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and shrimp. Cook shrimp for a minute or two per side, or until shrimp is lightly browned but not cooked through. You may have to do this in two batches as I did, to make sure you don’t crowd the pan. Remove the shrimp to a plate.

Add the red sauce to the pan. Cook for about 10-12 minutes over a medium low heat or until the mixture is thick and doesn’t taste as sharply of raw onion and garlic.

Add in the shrimp back to the pan and stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce.

Raise the heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce is really stuck to them. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.

Remove the pan from the heat, garnish with cilantro if using and serve right away. The camarones a la diabla can also be refrigerated for a day and gently reheated in a pan in over a medium fire before serving.

Enjoy!

This month my Fish Friday Foodies friends are cooking Mexican seafood dishes at the instigation of our host Rebekah of Making Miracles. Check out all the great recipes below:

• Camarones a la Diabla - Mexican Deviled Shrimp by Food Lust People Love
• Ceviche Naranja by Palatable Pastime
• Crab Cakes with Jalapeño Aioli by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Mexican Shrimp Casserole by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mexican Style Shrimp by Sneha's Recipe
• Prawn Ceviche with Avocados by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Salmon Tacos with Avocado Salsa by Making Miracles

Are you a food blogger who would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies? We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month. To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517 (at) gmail.com. Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas.

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