White Yam Shirataki Noodles
I had a hankering for pasta today, and seeing as I follow a low carb diet I wanted to find an alternative. I remembered a few years ago when I tried Shirataki noodles made with tofu. Well, I washed and then boiled them, as directed, and added it to a tomato-based sauce I made. I was thoroughly disgusted (which surprised me because I enjoy tofu)! They had a fishy taste and rubbery texture, which is not appetizing (ever) let alone when you're expecting to eat something pasta-like. So, I decided to do a little research, because, surely, someone has found a way around these issues in the past few years...and I was right. I came across a post from finallychelle on myfitnesspal. She is a Shirataki noodle enthusiast, "[having] eaten well over 300 pounds of shirataki noodles since [she] started [her] diet, 290 days ago." (Check out her post -Let's talk about shirataki noodles)
Finallychelle suggests dry frying the noodles prior to adding them to the sauce of your choosing. Considering the noodles only cost $1.79 per package, I figured it was worth the financial gamble (I mean, she was pretty convincing). So, I went to Sprouts and purchased House Foods Traditional Shirataki Noodles made with white yam (no tofu).
When I returned from shopping I gave the noodles a thorough wash in hot water and strained the liquid. Taking Finallychelle's advice to heart, I dry fried the noodles in a pan on medium to low heat for about 5 minutes (you should notice a slight color change). I strained the noodles one more time, because the dry frying was causing moisture from the noodles to be released and water was accumulating. I then placed them on a paper towel to absorb any remaining moisture while I finished off my (creamy peppercorn and mushroom) sauce. I then added the noodles into the sauce and let it cook for another few minutes. The result was incredible! The noodles took on the flavor of the sauce and their texture was similar to pasta that was slightly al dente. With only 5 carbs for the entire package, I will definitely find more ways to incorporate these noodles into my menus. If you have never tried Shirataki noodles or have only had the noodles made with tofu, I highly recommend giving white yam only noodles in conjunction with the dry frying technique a try. It's a great way to spice up your weekly meals!