 Shirataki noodles, made ofkonjac | |
| Type | Japanese noodles |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Main ingredients | Konjac |
Shirataki (Japanese:白滝, often written with thehiraganaしらたき) are translucent, gelatinousJapanese noodles made from thecorm of thekonjac plant. In traditionalJapanese cuisine, they are eaten in soups or stir-fried. The texture is chewy, similar to a tough jelly, and has little flavor before seasoning.
Compared to noodles made fromwheat orrice,shirataki is very low incalories, and are sometimes eaten by those on adiet.[1] They are also valuable to people with allergies or intolerances to wheat,gluten or eggs.Shirataki is often sold in containers withalkaline water, and needs to be rinsed before cooking to remove the bitter flavor.
The wordshirataki means "white waterfall", referring to the white appearance of the noodles.
Shirataki is also called yam noodles or devil's tongue noodles, referring to the English names of the konjac plant.[2]: 157–12 . One variation isito-konnyaku (糸こんにゃく "konjac strings"), which are generally thicker, darker, with a square cross section. It is preferred in the Kansai region.[citation needed]
.jpg)
The konjac yam, whose corm (a thick underground stem) yields the yam-cake (konnyaku) from which the noodles are made, is also called devil's tongue yam or elephant yam.[2]: 157–11 Shirataki noodles are made from 97% water and 3%konjac, which containsglucomannan, a water-solubledietary fiber. They are very low in digestible carbohydrates andfood energy, and have little flavor of their own.[3][4][5]
There used to be a difference in manufacturing methods. Producers in theKansai region of Japan preparedshirataki (calledito konnyaku there) by cuttingkonnyaku jelly into threads, while producers in theKantō region made the noodles by pushingkonnyaku through small holes into a hot, concentrated lime solution.[6] Modern producers make both types using the latter method.
Shirataki noodles come in dry and soft "wet" forms in Asian markets and some supermarkets. When purchased wet, they are packaged in liquid. Some brands require rinsing and sautéing or parboiling, as thealkaline water in the packaging has an odor some find unpleasant.[7][8] They normally have ashelf life of up to one year.
The noodles can also be drained and dry-roasted, which diminishes bitterness and gives the noodles a more pasta-like consistency. Dry-roasted noodles can be served in soup stock, sauce, or noodle soup. It can also be stir-fried.
| Shushoku |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okazu | |||||||||
| Soup (shirumono) | |||||||||
| Set menu | |||||||||
| Beverages |
| ||||||||
| Snacks,sweets, andwagashi | |||||||||
| Fruit | |||||||||
| Ingredients and condiments | |||||||||
| Utensils | |||||||||
| Lists | |||||||||
| Related | |||||||||
| Variants |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dishes |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Instant noodle brands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| List articles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
