What Are Yam Noodles?

A Guide to Buying and Cooking Shirataki Noodles

A type of Japanese noodle known as shirataki noodles is produced using the konjac plant. They are flavorless and have a gelatinous consistency, though they do absorb the flavors of the ingredients they were prepared with.

Don’t boil Shirataki Noodles as you would pasta. After rinsing, simply add to the dish you’re making and heat there for the final five minutes of cooking, dip in hot water, or steam for three to five minutes. Avoid overcooking to avoid tough chewing.

All versions of the noodle have almost no flavour. Instead, they take on the flavors of the food they are cooked in, so they are typically used in saucy dishes like soups or stir-fried dishes with sauce. Additionally, the noodles give a dish a chewy, rubbery, gelatinous texture. Tofu-made products are typically less rubbery. The texture appears more like a properly cooked, al dente noodle in the spaghetti and angel-hair shapes, where it is much less apparent.

Rinse water-packed ones. Although some manufacturers are now producing odorless ones, the water in which they are packaged will still have a slight fishy smell. Drain the noodles into a sieve that you are holding over the sink to rinse them. Rinse under cold water, then add warm or hot water to a measuring jug or bowl, swish, and then drain. This whole process takes about 60 seconds.

Shirataki noodles can be purchased dried, in cans of water, or in bags. Typically 14 oz (400 g) in size, cans are more expensive than bags. The bags are typically kept in chillers in stores and range in size from 7 oz (200g) to 16 oz (450g). The weight you have to work with after the water has been drained off is indicated by the “net weight” printed on the bag for brands like “House Foods.”

Removing as much moisture from the noodles as you can before using them in a recipe is a challenge. If the moisture is not removed, it could gradually seep out of the noodles and turn any sauce used into something that is more on the watery side. Many people discover that rinsing the noodles in a colander, draining them, and repeatedly rolling them in dry paper towels can help remove this moisture. Noodles can also be prepared by heating them in a dry, nonstick skillet or wok that has been heated over the stove. Tossing the noodles will encourage moisture to evaporate. Noodles should only be heated for a minute at a time because prolonged exposure to heat can change the texture of the noodles and turn them rubbery.

Although yam noodles are typically used in Japanese cuisine, many people around the world consume them to help with dietary issues like the need to avoid gluten or cut back on calories or carbohydrates. Shirataki noodles can be used in a variety of recipes because they are essentially flavorless and there is rarely a flavor contrast between the noodles and the sauce or other ingredients. Yam noodles can be used in other kinds of pasta dishes, though many people believe they function best when added to Asian dishes or dishes that use sauces and seasonings with an Asian influence. For instance, yam noodles can be found that have been prepared as common Italian-style pastas, like fettuccine.

Shirataki noodles, also referred to as yam noodles, are a type of pasta made from konjac yam flour. These noodles are essentially calorie and carbohydrate free because the majority of the flour in them is non-digestible fiber. They come in a variety of shapes and are usually brine-packaged. Before adding yam noodles to recipes, cooks should drain this brine and give the noodles a good rinse. Since the noodles themselves have no flavor, they can be used in a variety of recipes. Some varieties include tofu, which adds protein, softens the texture of the noodles, and slightly increases the calories and carbohydrates.

Cooking yam noodles is typically not a complicated process. The noodles are already flexible, so you can rinse them off and add them right away to a recipe, top them with a sauce, or stir-fry them. Before serving, some chefs prefer to quickly blanch the noodles to thoroughly heat them and possibly improve the texture.