Konjac/Konnyaku Recipes

lhkim85
lhkim85 Posts: 26 Member
in Recipes
I have a block of the stuff sitting in my fridge but I'm not sure what to do with it. I was thinking of slicing it and boiling it in a marinade, then dipping it in batter and frying it. The other option I was considering was cutting it into small cubes and using it as a boba substitute with some milk tea but I bought the brown one, not white (not sure if there's a flavor difference). Any other ideas? (I don't enjoy it as a pasta/noodle substitute.)

Replies

  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    Thank you for unintentionally providing some Friday morning amusement. It started from a Google search on "What is konjac?" because I had never heard of this particular root.

    Not only did I know that it has more alias than a Mafia don:
    also known as konjak, konjaku, konnyaku potato, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam

    But I realized I've actually already eaten it..as shirataki noodles. I liked them (we did the HungryGirl alfredo recipe) but my wife did not (didn't like the texture).

    I'll watch and see what turns up here...
  • lhkim85
    lhkim85 Posts: 26 Member
    Haha, glad I could help! Yeah, most of the recipes I found were for shirataki noodles and I just can't stand them in that application. I tried making mac and cheese w/ tofu shirataki noodles (slightly less rubbery) and I nearly couldn't eat them, and I am not a picky eater at all. I'm thinking the boba application will probably be best for me but I was wondering if anyone here had any ideas.
  • woofer00
    woofer00 Posts: 123 Member
    White and brown don't matter. I typically slice like
    http://riesbentoandcooking.blogspot.com/2012/02/konjac-konnyaku.html
    and saute in a drop of sesame oil and soy sauce with sesame seeds to firm up the spiral shape and texture. Sometimes I might cut into thin strands or blocks to be a carrier for sauces on a side dish like http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dotorimukmuchim
    or
    http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/cheongpomuk-muchim
    with rice or some other primary dish. On it's own I haven't figured out how to make konjac the centerpiece
  • lhkim85
    lhkim85 Posts: 26 Member
    Hm, it didn't occur to me to use it in place of acorn jelly. I guess that might work. Thanks!
  • MistressPi
    MistressPi Posts: 514 Member
    This site has a TON of recipes for konjac (just cut the block into little cubes). HTH

    http://www.miraclenoodle.com/t-Recipes_Preparation.aspx?
  • woofer00
    woofer00 Posts: 123 Member
    Hm, it didn't occur to me to use it in place of acorn jelly. I guess that might work. Thanks!

    It sort of works but also doesn't. Acorn and mung bean jellies have their own texture and distinct taste, but konjac has less of each.
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,007 Member
    Does anyone know where to get mung bean noodles? I have found shirataki noodles and dont like the texture. Would love to try the mung bean. I have looked in my regular store in fresh, frozen, and dried noodle sections and haven't found yet?
  • woofer00
    woofer00 Posts: 123 Member
    Does anyone know where to get mung bean noodles? I have found shirataki noodles and dont like the texture. Would love to try the mung bean. I have looked in my regular store in fresh, frozen, and dried noodle sections and haven't found yet?

    Probably just asian or specialty markets. They might also be called cellophane, glass, or vermicelli noodles, but check ingredients - i know the korean version is potato starch and not mung bean. They'll usually be as dried noodles in a clear plastic package, usually in a crinkly folded portion.
  • kseldon
    kseldon Posts: 1
    My favorite application for konnyaku is to slice the block in half lengthwise (to create two blocks of equal length and width, but half the thickness), score the top of each half in a diamond pattern, and brush with a miso glaze or any kind of spicy/fruity sauce before broiling in the oven (or a toaster oven) . The scored top allows the glaze to penetrate into the block, and broiling it makes for a nice crispy texture contrast on the top. Boiled konnyaku is a little too slimy for me.

    The sweet Asian chili sauce you can find in bottles in the foreign-foods section of most grocery stores is great! http://justhungry.com/nasu-no-miso-dengaku-japanese-slow-roasted-eggplant-dengaku-sauce is a good recipe for a simmered miso glaze that's also excellent on konnyaku -- I'd thin it with a bit more water to make sure it really gets down into those score marks.

    The important thing is to remember that konnyaku has almost no flavor on its own, and so whatever sauce/glaze you use should have a very strong flavor in order to balance it out.

    Try serving it with a side-salad of shredded cabbage with a sesame-ginger vinaigrette, and a small bowl of miso soup, for a great Japanese-style vegetarian dinner.
  • MistressPi
    MistressPi Posts: 514 Member
    Does anyone know where to get mung bean noodles? I have found shirataki noodles and dont like the texture. Would love to try the mung bean. I have looked in my regular store in fresh, frozen, and dried noodle sections and haven't found yet?

    Probably just asian or specialty markets. They might also be called cellophane, glass, or vermicelli noodles, but check ingredients - i know the korean version is potato starch and not mung bean. They'll usually be as dried noodles in a clear plastic package, usually in a crinkly folded portion.

    Mung bean noodles have a much different nutrient makeup than konjac noodles:

    350 Kcal, 86 g carbs per 100 g serving.

    100% Konjac noodles have zero calories, and are comprised solely of water and soluble fiber, giving them an effective carb count of zero.

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