Meet shirataki noodles, the zero-calorie, low-carb noodle that will change your life! They are made of Konjac, or Konjac Yam. Glucomannan starch is extracted from the yam, then turned into a substance called konnyaku. Konnyaku is then shredded into traditional shirataki noodles. They are about 97% water, and 3% water soluble fiber starch, so virtually carb- and calorie-free, making these miracle noodles indeed.
More about them if you’re interested.
They make a perfect substitute for traditional pasta, wheat noodles or rice noodles. It also has that same chewy bouncy texture that makes this a great replacement for almost every noodle or pasta dish you can think of!
Used for centuries in Asia, they are now becoming increasingly easy to find in America; available in most large grocery store chains. They are often packaged and stored in water in the refrigerated section, so they are best used as soon as you buy them.
Prep:
They need some care in preparing and cooking, quite different from how you would prepare other noodles. The noodles themselves are tasteless, but the packaging liquid can have a distinct smell straight out of the package. This liquid needs to be drained , and I highly recommend you rinse the noodles in cold water thoroughly. You definitely won’t taste anything funny after cooking!
Cook:
I’ve found that the best way to cook these is to stir fry them. They are tasteless making them perfect to absorb anything they are cooked in. So get some aromatics, like onion, garlic, ginger etc as the base. Add in any veggies, greens, beans or tofu you’d like. Decide on the sauces you’d like to use. Then stir fry the thoroughly washed noodles all together.
What I did this time was braise Kale in a super aromatic spicy asian inspired sauce, and tossed the noodles and stir fried them. This recipe is one for the books!
Ingredients:
Servings 2-4
16 oz shirataki noodles
6 stems of fresh kale, leaves separated from the stems, and chopped
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp canola oil
1 red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 serrano peppers, chopped
a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp sriracha sauce (makes this dish spicy; use half for a milder version)
1/4 cup sambal (makes this dish spicy; use half for a milder version)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chinese black vinegar
a pinch of salt (optional, only if needed since the soy is quite salty)
Method:
Prepare the shirataki noodles: Drain them from their packaging liquid and wash thoroughly under running cold water, wash for at least a minute. Set aside to drain.
Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, serrano peppers and onions. Saute for about 5 minutes until the onions soften.
Add the measured sambal, sriracha, cilantro, soy sauce and black vinegar. Mix well and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
Toss in chopped kale, the pinch of salt, and measured vegetable stock. Mix well, cover and cook on low heat for 18-20 minutes.
Once you uncover, the kale should be fall apart tender. Now toss in the washed noodles and stir fry over high heat for a couple of minutes.
Once all the liquid is absorbed, toss in the fresh bean sprouts, turn of hear, and the dish is ready to serve!
Serve hot with more cilantro and/or sriracha drizzle.
