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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