The Just Bento Cookbook 2 by Makiko Itoh

Author:Makiko Itoh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kodansha USA
Published: 2019-06-18T16:00:00+00:00

What Are Shirataki and Konnyaku?

Shirataki noodles, made from glucomannan, a dietary soluble fiber from the root of the konjac plant, have been gaining popularity in the West as a low-carb alternative to wheat-flour noodles or pasta. Konnyaku is the gelatinous block form of the same ingredient. The word shirataki means “white waterfall,” since the noodle strands look like streaming water. Another term that is used for the gelatinous noodles is ito-konnyaku, which means “konnyaku threads”. In the past ito-konnyaku was made in a different way from shirataki, but nowadays the same word is often used for the same product.

Konnyaku and shirataki have been eaten in Japan for hundreds of years, not as diet foods, but just for the enjoyment of their texture in stews and other dishes. Konnyaku, however, is often referred to as “a broom for your stomach,” and if you are watching your calories or carb intake these foods can be useful additions to your eating plan, since they are both high in dietary fiber and have negligible calories.

The rubbery, jellylike texture of shirataki and konnyaku can take some getting used to, but many people find it quite pleasant after a couple of tries. The bigger obstacle is that often the water these products come packed in has a slightly fishy odor, which can be rather unpleasant. It’s easy to get rid of the odor though. You can pour boiling water over the shirataki noodles or the konnyaku slices or cubes, or boil them for a couple of minutes. Or you can sautée them briefly in a dry frying pan or wok until the surface water evaporates and they emit a “squeaky” sound.

You may encounter shirataki noodles that have been tied into neat bundles. The bundles are meant to be used in traditional Japanese hotpots. In recent years dried shirataki noodles have become available too. Follow the package instructions for reconstituting these. Once they are softened, they can be used in any recipe that calls for shirataki packed in water.

Konnyaku blocks may be semi-transparent, like blocks of jelly, or light to dark grey with black specks. The dark kind has added seaweed to give it a little flavor. Some people find it more aesthetically pleasing too. The base ingredient of either kind is the same, and they can be used interchangeably.

You may also come across konnyaku rice or shirataki rice. This is just konnyaku in rice grain form. It’s not meant to be eaten on its own, but rather mixed into rice or other grains to lower the overall carb and calorie count.

Finally, the noodles called Tofu Shirataki from House Foods Corporation are made by mixing soy milk into the glucomannan base. They can be used like regular shirataki noodles, and are nominally higher in calories because of the soy content.

You can find shirataki noodles in some Western supermarkets these days, as well as in health food stores and online. They come in several other pastalike shapes besides the traditional long, thin noodles. Konnyaku is available from Japanese grocery stores.

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