I am a ragu-fancier and a kheema fanatic. Unlike with most foods, however, it doesn’t do to rationalise this love for ragu, because it is a mash of things chopped up so small that they all lose their texture. This might sound a bit woo-woo, but the joy of ragu comes from feeling your way through it, from the chopping and standing with your thoughts, to stirring a bubbling pot and the smell creeping under the door. A ragu isn’t just a ragu, it’s a coming-together of good things: thoughts, feelings, ingredients, time and effort.
Gochujang and tofu ragu with gnocchi and pickled cucumber
The greens of the spring onions will need a proper wash. Slice the whole spring onions from top to bottom, then put them in a sieve resting in a bowl of cold water, swoosh with your hand to dislodge any dirt, then lift out to drain when you need them. You’ll need a food processor to blitz the tofu.
Prep 20 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 2-3
For the pickled cucumber
200g cucumber, very thinly sliced
½ tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted black or white sesame seeds
For the gnocchi
Fine sea salt
500g gnocchi
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
200g spring onions, whites and greens, finely sliced and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2cm x 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
280g firm tofu, drained and blitzed to a fine mince
1½ tbsp chilli bean sauce – I like Lee Kum Kee
1 tbsp gochujang paste
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp light agave syrup
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, and add a teaspoon of salt per litre of water. Boil the gnocchi according to the packet instructions, then drain.
To make the pickle, put the cucumber slices in a bowl, sprinkle over a half-teaspoon of salt and mix. Tip into a sieve set over a bowl and leave to drain.
Put two tablespoons of oil in a wide frying pan on a medium heat and, once it’s hot, add two-thirds of the drained spring onions (whites and greens) and all the garlic and ginger. Cook for about five minutes, until the garlic no longer smells raw and the spring onions have wilted nicely.
Add the tofu mince, turn up the heat to high and fry, stirring, for about eight minutes, until golden and browned in places. Stir in the chilli bean sauce, gochujang, tomato puree, soy sauce, sesame oil and agave syrup, then add the cooked gnocchi and 200ml cold water, and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and toss through the remaining spring onions.
Drain the salted cucumber, put it in a small bowl and stir in the rice vinegar and sesame seeds.
Transfer the gnocchi to a platter, arrange the cucumber pickle on top and serve at once.
