Interested in making some of your favorite Shirataki noodles from the comfort of your very own home? You’re in the right place.
Despite what you might think, preparing your very own Shirataki noodles from scratch is as easy as can be, and we’re here to show you a simple recipe that will allow you to prepare authentic-style Shirataki noodles in no time at all. Read on!
What Are Shirataki Noodles?
Whether you have recently switched to a keto diet or you would simply like a healthier alternative to regular noodles - Shirataki noodles are one of the tastiest (and most delicious) low-carb noodles available currently.
Wondering why? Well, as a Japanese dish, Shirataki noodles are typically made from something that is known as the Japanese Konjac Yam, which is more commonly referred to as either elephant yam or devil’s tongue!
In a nutshell, Japanese Konjac Yam is an extremely dense and fibrous root vegetable that is famous for its high nutritional value and extremely low carb and calorie content!
In order to make Shirataki noodles, a starch that is named “glucomannan” is carefully extracted from the Japanese Konjac Yam in order to form the Shirataki noodles.
When extracted correctly, the glucomannan starch will be able to form very thin gelatine-textured noodles that are extremely low in calories and carbs and, in turn, a very healthy alternative to other types of popular noodles.
As a side note, seeing as Shirataki noodles are so thin and almost transparent in appearance - Shirataki noodles are traditionally bulked out with various other ingredients to make the dish more appealing and filling.
You will have the freedom to choose what additional foods that you would like to add to your Shirataki noodle dishes, but it is worth noting that the most common types of toppings used to bulk out Shirataki dishes as spinach, carrots, tofu, seaweed, chicken, pork, beef and steamed veggies such as broccoli.
What Do Shirataki Noodles Taste Like?
Given the fact that Shirataki noodles are created from the starch located inside the Japanese Konjac Yam (which is a root vegetable that is extremely low in both calories and carbohydrate levels), it means that the noodles created from the starch are typically very thin and translucent.
Due to this reason, Shirataki noodles are quite bland in flavor when eaten by themselves, although it is worth noting that when cooked in a sauce, Shirataki noodles will infuse the flavors of the sauce to give it a richer and more vibrant taste.
Believe it or not, by making sure that you are preparing your Shirataki noodles correctly, you will find that your Shirataki noodles taste almost exactly the same as regular noodles! There’s so much to love about these healthy noodles.
How To Prepare Shirataki Noodles
If you would like to prepare your very own Shirataki noodles from the comfort of your very own home, then we’re sure that you’ll be pleased to hear that these noodles are extremely easy to prepare!
Just read on for a simple method that will allow you to prepare restaurant-worthy Shirataki noodles in a pinch:
- First things first, unless you’ve got plans of extracting starch from Japanese Konjac Yam, then you’re going to need to purchase your Shirataki noodles from your local Asian market.
Once you have your packet of Shirataki noodles and you’re ready to begin cooking them, all you will need to do is take them out of the packaging and place them into your strainer.
After you have done this, simply take the noodles over to your sink and clean them with some cold water, this will help to ensure that they are free from any leftover debris from the noodle-making process.
- After you have cleaned your Shirataki noodles, you can set them aside on your kitchen counter for a few moments. Take a medium-sized saucepan and fill it with three quarters of water.
After doing that, take your medium-sized saucepan over to your oven and place it on the hob on a medium heat. While it is being warmed up, add 2-3 tablespoons of salt to your saucepan until the water has been effectively brought to a boil.
- Take either a nonstick skillet pan or cast iron pan and place it over medium heat.
Once you can see that the skillet is hot, go ahead and place your Shirataki noodles into the pan and begin to stir your Shirataki noodles until you can visibly see that all of the water has been completely absorbed into the noodles.
It’s important that you make sure to remove the Shirataki noodles from the pan as soon as you can see that all of the water has evaporated, otherwise, the noodles might become too dehydrated.
As a side note, another major indication that your noodles are finished cooking is if you can hear your noodles making a high-pitched noise (almost like a squeal) this means that your noodles are optimally cooked and ready to be taken off the heat.
- After you are done preparing your noodles, all you will then need to do is go ahead and remove the Shirataki noodles from the pan, place them in a bowl and season them as you see fit.
Remember, Shirataki noodles are very thin in texture, which means that you might want to add some additional toppings to make your Shirataki noodles even more delicious than they already are!
Final Thoughts
There you have it! You’ve made it to the end of this article.
After taking the time to read through this guide, we’re hoping that you now have a much better understanding of how to make your very own Shirataki noodles - and are now ready to try your hand at preparing them yourself in the kitchen! Thank you for reading.