Anyone tried shirataki noodles?

ajd241
ajd241 Posts: 76
in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering if anyone has tried these shirataki noodles. They're meant to be low in fat, carbs and sugar. Sounds too good to be true to be honest. If you've tried them, have you had success with them? Do they have a weird taste? I'm a big lover of pasta and noodle based dishes but we all know that it's hard to lose weight when you eat too much of them. Sure I could reduce the quantity, and I do, but I just wanted to know how these compare.
Thanks!

Replies

  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    Hiya! Yes I tried them, got them in an Asian food market in Joondalup. They were OK but I didn't really enjoy them. I didn't find they had the horrible fishy musty smell that many people complain about. But they were a bit rubbery, not a nice mouth feel. Mind you I don't like squid or any of those slimy crawly things either; if you like squid or oysters and stuff you might like them? I made a huge batch of stir fry. Think I would rather have just used cabbage or something instead.

    I doubt I would buy them again. If you search the forum there is a thread by lady who uses them all the time, she dry-fries them first to make them better.
  • MyFitGrlSwag
    MyFitGrlSwag Posts: 60 Member
    If you are talking about the noodles in the liquid package, in the vegan/vegetarian section of the store, yes I have tried them.

    My personal experience with them is when you open them, it smells a bit funny. You are suppose to rinse them really really good.

    Cooking time is quick. Warm up in a pan/sautee a bit.

    If you have ever had ramen or instant type noodles, then they have a texture and consistency like those. I personal like them and would eat them more often,, in my area they are a bit pricey to have on a regular basis. :smile:
  • ajd241
    ajd241 Posts: 76
    Thanks guys. Good to know what I'm in for. I'll give them a whirl and see how I like them. Seems to good to be true!
  • sheilsun
    sheilsun Posts: 47
    Shirataki noodles are a staple for me. I like the Miracle Noodle brand mainly because of the many varieties they have available. I order them either at their website www.miraclenoodle.com or buy them at a local store they have listed on their website. For the smell, I just rinse real well and sometimes boiil for about a minute then add to either the soup, salad, stir fry or other dish I am making. Zero calories and carbs and without soy which is great for me. I especially like the shared recipes on their Facebook page. Hope this helps!!
  • TrashyAbercrombie
    TrashyAbercrombie Posts: 51 Member
    I eat them all the time! The smell isn't that great but when you rinse and cook them in something that goes away... I use them in shrimp alfredo, put spaghetti sauce over them for regular spaghetti, or I'll take the seasoning packet out of a ramen package and make low cal ramen. Be sure to dry them really well though with a few paper towels.. they hold onto water like a sponge which makes for runny sauces that nobody would like O_o
  • anchoviess
    anchoviess Posts: 5
    There are actually two different types of shirataki noodles- tofu shirataki noodles and traditional shirataki noodles (sometimes called "yam noodles"). The tofu ones are white and contain a bit of tofu (hence a few added calories) in order to be more like pasta, and they can work in western-style dishes. The traditional Japanese ones are clear or sometimes a translucent grey and do not work as a substitute for pasta, but are delicious in Asian-style soups and stirfrys. They have no tofu and no calories and are only made of konjac (glucomannan fiber.)

    Both types come in a liquid that smells horrible - like a cross between fish and bad dog-breath, but it easily washes off when you rinse the noodles really well. Some people recommend parboiling to get rid of that smell, but a good rinse has always been adequate to me.

    Neither have much flavor, so you need a good, strong sauce or broth with them. I've not really warmed to the tofu ones but the traditional ones in something like yosenabe (Japanese seafood soup) are excellent. Both are definitely worth a try, but definitely rinse them! :)
  • anchoviess
    anchoviess Posts: 5
    Also, if you find that they have too much texture, heating them up in the pot/pan for a short time without any sauce will make them softer. Enjoy!
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    I eat them a bunch cause regular pasta makes me bloated.

    The spaghetti ones are the best by far
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
    i've tried both the plain shirataki and the shirataki with tofu and i just can't get past the rubbery texture. i've tried dry frying them too per a recipe in another thread but it only helped some. i've tried them 2+ times and definitely not my thing.

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