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
- ¾ large cucumber
- 1 packet shiritaki noodles
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium spring onion
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon 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 yields 1 serving, which comes out to 424 Calories, 42.38g Fats, 8.24g Net Carbs, and 2.32g Protein.
| Asian Cucumber Salad | Calories | Fats(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Net Carbs(g) | Protein(g) |
| ¾ large cucumber | 34 | 0.25 | 8.19 | 1.1 | 7.09 | 1.47 |
| 1 packet shiritaki noodles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 tablespoons coconut oil | 243 | 26.94 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 medium green onion | 5 | 0.03 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.27 |
| ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes | 1 | 0.08 | 0.25 | 0.1 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 1 tablespoon sesame oil | 120 | 13.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon rice vinegar | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 teaspoon sesame seeds | 17 | 1.48 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.53 |
| Totals | 424 | 42.38 | 11.24 | 2 | 8.24 | 2.32 |
This yields 1 serving, which comes out to 424 Calories, 42.38g Fats, 8.24g Net Carbs, and 2.32g Protein.
The Preparation
- ¾ large cucumber
- 1 packet shiritaki noodles
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium spring onion
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Salt and Pepper to taste
The Execution
- Rinse off the shiritaki noodles very well. Make sure you get all of the excess water they were sitting in and wash them off completely.
- Set them on a peper towel to completely dry, then bring 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil to medium-high temperature in a pan.
- Once pan is hot, let noodles fry for 5-7 minutes, completely reducing in size and boiling off extra liquids.
- Remove from pan and set on a peper towel to cool.
- Slice cucumber thin, then arrange on a plate in design you want. Add the rest of the ingredients over the cucumber and let set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle fried shiritake noodles over the top!
