(vegan, gluten-free*)
Lately I’ve been hearing more and more buzz on the increasingly popular shirataki “noodles”. Shiratake comes from the root of a yam-related plant and was developed in Asia as a healthier alternative to conventional noodles. They’re sugar-free, gluten-free, contain dramatically fewer calories and carbohydrates than pasta and are also a good source of fiber, calcium, and iron. The House Foods brand that I’ve been seeing over and over near the tofu at Whole Foods finally prompted me to pick up a package of fettuccine style noodles and give them a try.
Now, I’m not a big fan of “alternate” types of foods as they are typically quite processed, taste funky, and usually contain less desirable hidden ingredients. But these shiratake looked pretty friendly. They’re organic, non-genetically modified, vegan, and contain virtually only yam flour and tofu. They’re also perishable and must be kept refrigerated.
So, being as simple and harmless looking as they are, how would they taste? Upon opening the package, you must drain them in a colander and rinse them well with cold water. When I tried a little bite right then and there, I was pleasantly surprised at the no-funk neutral flavor and a texture similar to a cooked, wide udon noodle. Fantastic! Let’s whip’em up! Each 8 ounce package contains 2 servings, but I had no problem helping myself to both.
In a wok or saute pan, add about a tablespoon of high-quality grapeseed oil, one chopped red Thai bird chili, a 2″ piece finely chopped lemongrass, a knob of grated ginger, and 1 fat chopped garlic clove and let them get infusing and sizzling on low heat for about 2 minutes. Then add 1 cubed baby eggplant and the julienned caps of 4 large shitake mushrooms and stir-fry for about 2 more minutes. Deglaze the wok with a dousing of mirin and nama shoyu* and stir-fry for about 1 minute more. Turn off the heat, add the drained and rinsed shirataki noodles, some whole basil leaves, toss and serve immediately.
I will definitely be buying more of these noodle gems.
* For gluten-free preparation, do not use nama shoyu. Instead sprinkle eggplant and shitakes with sea salt during cooking process.
<3, JMK
