Thursday, July 21, 2011

I Bit the Bullet...Tofu Style

I don't remember where I first saw Shirataki Tofu Noodles but the idea of practically zero calorie pasta was appealing.  However, when I picked them up at Whole Foods and saw them stewing in some foreign juice, I'll admit, I freaked.  But I wanted to try this mystery noodle despite not seeing the most glowing reviews on Amazon.  We bought them about 3 weeks ago and they've gotten tossed from one side of the deli drawer to the other. 
Open fridge..."You do not exist."  *toss* 
Open the fridge..."I don't see you."...*toss* 
Open fridge..."Are you expired yet?  No? "...*toss* 
Open fridge..."Sigh...I just blogged about being in a food rut, I suppose I'd better use you."  *grab*


I made a sweet and spicy shrimp dish using the noodles like chow mein.  I was winging it baby but after putting the word out I was trying it, I got lots of advice to wash, wash, wash as well as cries of how nasty an ordeal I was in for which was encouraging.  I was cooking the veggies and got the shrimp going and there was no more putting it off, I had to open the bag o' soggy noodles.  I cut the bag and cautiously approached the cut to get my sniff of the tofu juice that had haunted my fridge for weeks.  I took a shot of tequila and went in.  *Sniff*  Hmm.  *Sniff*  I don't smell anything. *Sniffffff*  What the heck!?  It smells fine, like nothing.  I washed them off, strained them and repeated the process for a few times and dried the noodles off on paper towels.  I tossed them in with the honey glaze, veggies and shrimp.  As warned, the sauce doesn't stick the same way it would on regular pasta but that's okay because it picked up the flavor of the glaze while it was cooking in it for the minute or two.  (Actually it did stick a little better when I carmelized the sauce a bit at the end so thicker sauces would probably be fine)  Honestly, they tasted like regular chow mein noodles.  We both agreed we'd eat them again especially in any Asian dishes but not likely in an Italian ones. 

In the future, we both agreed that we'd need one packet per person because they seem to shrink a bit when cooked.  We were STARVING afterward and had to end up eating a banana later in the evening so that we wouldn't resort to cannibalism.  I think we can afford the extra 20 calories for a total of 40 calories for a whole package.  I think the multiple soakings were the way to go and I'd dry them out more next time to get some more moisture out.  All in all, we were pleasantly surprised.  We won't be getting them all the time but we will no longer be afraid of the noodley juice bag that got tossed around the fridge like we were playing cornhole.


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13 comments:

  1. I've been meaning to try tofu noodles for a while but didn't realize Whole Foods carried them. I think they'll be an acceptable replacement for rice noodles in dishes.

    I've been making thick sauces using pureed lentils. I wonder if that will have a better chance of sticking than your honey glaze.

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  2. I'm glad it worked out for you. One less food to fear.

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  3. Is it wrong of me that I am sort of happy I haven't seen these yet? The idea of a noodle sounds appealing...I should get adventurous and try them since I cannot have 'regular' noodles any more anyway. Good job trying something new!

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  4. Okay you inspired me to try them again. I did once but I don't think I rinsed well or dried off. Plus I don't even remember what I cooked with them. That is how memorable they were for me!!!!

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  5. I'm glad you liked them! When I tried them I didn't like them, but I only washed them once. Maybe multiple washings is the key. Do I dare try them again?

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  6. I've wanted to try them for a while! Buti don't think the bf will agree to eating them....we will see I guess! Thanks for the review!

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  7. You did far better than I! Mine bounced around in the fridge for a month or more and then landed in the trash. I should be a good girl and give it a whirl.

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  8. I, too, had heard that you have to rinse them alot. I'm really glad you didn't smell anything 'off' when you opened the bag, that's encouraging. I've been thinking of trying them (40 calories a bag is quite an incentive). I will take your advice and try them in an Asian recipe. I've seen them used with marinara but I don't know how that'd taste. Thanks for being the guinea pig and letting us know the results!

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  9. Well I'm glad some of your are willing to give them another shot. I think you have to pair them with something that can stand on its own flavor wise. I put them in a strainer, washed them and then filled a bowl with water and put the strainer in the bowl so they could soak and dumped the water and did that 3x. So they were REALLY well cleaned by the time I was done with them! *hee hee*

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  10. I have considered trying these but haven't been quite brave enough just yet. I will reconsider. I'm glad I read this as I wouldn't have known to wash them off a lot. I went to the new Trader Joes today. I love it. I got so many things to try. Everything looked so good.

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  11. If I can find them in hick country, I will try them out. Occassionally, I'll use tofu and to drain the excess water out of it, I lay something heavy on the tofu block for about twenty minutes (on top of papertowels on a plate). It gets a lot more out than just squeezing a bit.

    I'm not sure if the noodles would be the same way, but it might not hurt.

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  12. I will be looking for these!!! we love pasta/noodles but limit how much and how often

    not sure if we have them in Winnipeg, but we are heading to the states next week so I will be looking for them there

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