I’ve bought shiritaki noodles in the past and I’m just the type of person that can’t get over the texture of the things. They’re just not that delicious pasta that I want when I think of a hearty dish. They’re closer to eating rubber bands, wrestling with the texture to chew them up and be able to swallow.
I know some people love them, but I just can’t get over them! I decided to try a new take on how to use them, and this way they turned out pretty great! Though they do reduce to about 1/4 the original size when you fry them, they take on a fantastic crunchy texture and a delicious salty flavor. Perfect for a fresh cucumber salad, no doubt!
There’s some great textures that run through this dish – crunchy, soft, fresh. Not to mention to flavor of the sesame oil and rice vinegar that is so prevelant in many Asian recipes. This definitely hit the nail on the head when I was craving something very crunchy and full of flavor. You can also let this sit longer in the fridge for the cucumber to take on more flavor from the oils and other seasonings.
Let me know what you think!
Yields 1 Serving of Asian Cucumber Salad
The Preparation
- 75 grams shirataki noodles
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 200 grams cucumber
- 15 grams green onion
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- salt and pepper, to taste
The Execution
1. Remove shiritaki noodles from the package and rise off completely. This may take a few minutes, but make sure that all of the extra water that came in its package is washed off.
2. Set noodles on a kitchen towel and thoroughly dry them.
3. Bring 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil to medium-high heat in a pan.
4. Once the oil is hot, add noodles and cover (it will splatter). Let these fry for 5-7 minutes or until crisp and browned.
5. Remove shiritaki noodles from the pan and set on paper towels to cool and dry.
6. Slice cucumber thin and arrange on a plate in the design you’d like.
7. Add 1 medium Spring Onion, 1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes, 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil, 1 tbsp. Rice Vinegar, 1 tsp. Sesame Seeds, and Salt and Pepper to taste. You can also pour over the coconut oil from the pan you fried the noodles in. This will add a salty component so keep that in mind. Store this in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving!
This makes a total of 1 serving of Asian Cucumber Salad. The serving comes out to be 422 calories, 42.2g fats, 7.5g net carbs, and 2.2g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 75 gram shirataki noodles | 5 | 0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| 2 tablespoon coconut oil | 243 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 200 gram cucumber | 30 | 0.2 | 7.3 | 1 | 6.3 | 1.3 |
| 15 gram green onion | 5 | 0 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes | 1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| 1 tablespoon sesame oil | 120 | 13.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 teaspoon sesame seeds | 15 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| — salt and pepper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 422 | 42.2 | 11.6 | 4.1 | 7.5 | 2.2 |
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 75 gram shirataki noodles
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 200 gram cucumber
- 15 gram green onion
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove shiritaki noodles from the package and rinse off completely. This may take a few minutes, but make sure that all of the extra water that came in its package is washed off.
- Set noodles on a kitchen towel and thoroughly dry them.
- Bring coconut oil to medium-high heat in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add noodles and cover (it will splatter). Let these fry for 5-7 minutes or until crisp and browned.
- Remove shiritaki noodles from the pan and set on paper towels to cool and dry.
- Slice cucumber thin and arrange on a plate in the design you’d like.
- Add spring onion, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. You can also pour over the coconut oil from the pan you fried the noodles in. This will add a salty component, so keep that in mind. Store this in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle fried shiritake noodles over the top just prior to serving.
