Konnyaku - The Topic

[mizducky]

I had fun yesterday making up my own cross-cultural nabemono:

Ingredients: shirataki, Chinese-style dried bean curd stick, dried shiitake, dried maitake, onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, kombu, and scallions, all in home-made dashi (my first try at making dashi from scratch, too). I seasoned it with a splash of Chinese dark soy sauce.

Obviously, I could have spent a little more time neatening up the presentation, but what the hey. It came out pretty darned tasty if I do say so myself, and I will definitely be making this combination (or variants thereof) again.

[Hiroyuki]

Ingredients: shirataki, Chinese-style dried bean curd stick, dried shiitake, dried maitake, onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, kombu, and scallions, all in home-made dashi (my first try at making dashi from scratch, too). I seasoned it with a splash of Chinese dark soy sauce.

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Wow, a lot of dietary fiber! You will be pleasantly surprised in the bathroom in about eight hours or so. As they say, kai-shoku kai-ben (eat well, evacuate well) !

[mizducky]

Ingredients: shirataki, Chinese-style dried bean curd stick, dried shiitake, dried maitake, onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, kombu, and scallions, all in home-made dashi (my first try at making dashi from scratch, too). I seasoned it with a splash of Chinese dark soy sauce.

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Wow, a lot of dietary fiber! You will be pleasantly surprised in the bathroom in about eight hours or so. As they say, kai-shoku kai-ben (eat well, evacuate well) !

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Heh. Actually, that was sorta-kinda deliberate. I woke up yesterday morning feeling a bit out of sorts from the weekend, and decided to make something that would help clear my system out. So to speak. Heck of a lot more interesting--not to mention tastier--way of doing it than eating prunes.

[Hiroyuki]

Which color of konnyaku do you prefer, black or white? I had assumed that was just personal preferences, but I learned today from the TV show, Me ga Ten, that there are prefectural preferences. People in Yamagata, Fukushima, and Miyagi and other northern prefectures use white konnyaku, while those in southern preferectures use black, and these preferences closely correspond to whether konnyaku potatoes can be cultivated in the prefectures.

In the past, konnyaku potatoes were grated skins and all, so that the resultant konnyaku was black. Thus, people in those prefectures where konnyaku potatoes can be cultivated take it for granted that konnyaku is black. People in those prefectures where they cannot be cultivated don't know what color konnyaku should be, thus they prefer white konnyaku.

As for me, I like both.

Today, black konnyaku is made by adding hijiki and other seaweeds to konnyaku powder.

[torakris]

Since I am not from any prefecture...

I prefer the black, to me the white is completely flavorless but his could be one of things where my brain is playing a trick on me. Maybe they really taste exactly the same and I am just assuming the white one is more bland.

Is it just me or has anyone else been noticing the rise in konnyaku products in the past year or two? Especially products made with grated yam rather than the powdered version.

[Domestic Goddess]

I wonder if they have konnyaku products here in Korea. If there are, what would be its name in korean?

[GlorifiedRice]

How long do blocks of white Konnyaku last?

Neither one has any dates on them.

[Hiroyuki]

How long do blocks of white Konnyaku last?

Neither one has any dates on them.

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30 to 90 days.

If stored properly, however, they will last half a year or longer.

Once you open the pack, use it up soon.

Wha are you going to do with yours?

[GlorifiedRice]

30 to 90 days.

If stored properly, however, they will last half a year or longer.

Once you open the pack, use it up soon.

Wha are you going to do with yours?

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I have no clue. I was cleaning out my fridge today and found some in the back.

I adore the way shiritaki gets in sukiyaki. Is there anything that I can do with the blocks that changes it to sukiyaki like shirataki?

[JasonTrue]

I guess you could press it through a cutter like the ones used for tokoroten, but it's likely you don't have such equipment. I'd just use it for something like dengaku-konnyaku.

Here are a few other ideas:

http://blog.jagaimo.com/archive/2006/05/30/2416.aspx

(You can do any of the things you see there with the white konnyaku)

Dengaku konnyaku just requires sugar, mirin, miso, and optionally some egg yolks cooked until thick. Warm up the konnyaku, flip, add the sauce, and lightly broil the konnyaku until the miso sauce is bubbly.

The dengaku miso is not the best one I've made, but it should give you an idea.

[Hiroyuki]

30 to 90 days.

If stored properly, however, they will last half a year or longer.

Once you open the pack, use it up soon.

Wha are you going to do with yours?

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I have no clue. I was cleaning out my fridge today and found some in the back.

I adore the way shiritaki gets in sukiyaki. Is there anything that I can do with the blocks that changes it to sukiyaki like shirataki?

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Hm.........No. Follow Jason's suggestions or if you can cut them as thin as tsuki konnyaku, you can mix them with udon to make the dish like this.

[mizducky]

The weather's been a little nippy even down here in Southern California (actually got down to freezing last night!) so it's time for simmering some shirataki ...

This has also got chunks of firm tofu, carrot, daikon, and onion, plus broken bits of shiitake, in home-made dashi. The house smells terrific!

[mizducky]

I dropped in the local branch of Mitsuwa Marketplace and had myself a little konnyaku spree:

The variety that is a first for me is the sashimi konnyaku:

Apparently the green flecks are seaweed; rosemary extract is also listed in the ingredients. I'm not sure how clear it is from the photo, but this konnyaku is formed into two thick "homemade"-looking patties somewhat like really fat hamburgers.

Back a couple of pages in this topic I saw several people recommending that sashimi konnyaku be served with karashi, either alone or mixed with soy sauce. Alas, I didn't think to buy any karashi while at Mitsuwa. How would a mix of wasabi and soy sauce do?

[Hiroyuki]

There is nothing wrong with having sashimi konnyaku with soy sauce and wasabi.

I think that sashimi konnyaku is most often served with su miso (vinegar/miso sauce). In Japan, sashimi konnyaku often comes with a small packet of su miso.

Example of su miso:

4 tbsp white miso

2 tbsp vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

The seaweed in the sashimi konnyaku is probably "ao nori".

Enjoy your sashimi konnyaku!

[mizducky]

There is nothing wrong with having sashimi konnyaku with soy sauce and wasabi.

I think that sashimi konnyaku is most often served with su miso (vinegar/miso sauce).  In Japan, sashimi konnyaku often comes with a small packet of su miso.

Example of su miso:

4 tbsp white miso

2 tbsp vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

The seaweed in the sashimi konnyaku is probably "ao nori".

Enjoy your sashimi konnyaku!

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Thanks, Hiroyuki! I do have miso in the house, but it's brown not white ... I think I'll go with the wasabi/soy sauce option this time; by the next time I pick up some sashimi konnyaku I'll see if I can also remember the other stuff.

[Evan]

People in Yamagata, Fukushima, and Miyagi and other northern prefectures use white konnyaku, while those in southern preferectures use black, and these preferences closely correspond to whether konnyaku potatoes can be cultivated in the prefectures.

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Growing up in Yamagata, the matsuri or festivals would always have tama kon or skewered konnyaku balls stewed in soy sauce, add a dab of mustard and I'm in heaven. It was always white konnyaku and I tend to prefer the white as well. There is a distinct taste that konnyaku has and I love it. I cook it often myself and realized that you need to dry heat the konnyaku for stewing or else the gelatinous consistancy is totally lost once stewed for a long time.

[Hiroyuki]

I cook it often myself and realized that you need to dry heat the konnyaku for stewing or else the gelatinous consistancy is totally lost once stewed for a long time.

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When I prepared tama kon for the first time for the konnyaku cook-off here in the Japan forum, that's exactly what I did. I didn't know that kara iri (same as dry heating, no?) had such an effect.

[Evan]

I cook it often myself and realized that you need to dry heat the konnyaku for stewing or else the gelatinous consistancy is totally lost once stewed for a long time.

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When I prepared tama kon for the first time for the konnyaku cook-off here in the Japan forum, that's exactly what I did. I didn't know that kara iri (same as dry heating, no?) had such an effect.

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Yes, kara iri, dry heating, or heating it on a frying pan without any oil. I was so disappointed the first time I made it without the kara iri, because the consistancy was not the way I remembered it. Then I figured it out reading the package, it's amazing what you learn when I don't follow instructions

[Hiroyuki]

Thanks, Evan, for your reply. Now I know why I failed the second time. Not enough dry heating.

Can you scan their menu and post it online? Or procure their URL?

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I'll try next time I go there. Customer service isn't exactly great at the San Gabriel one I go to but hopefully they have no objections about me taking pictures.

edit: Inspired by the thread, I went out and bought a block of konnyaku. I was thinking about just slicing it up and dressing it with some soy sauce and wasabi. Do I need to parboil it or anything first, or can I just eat it out of the package?

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You need to parboil it for some time to get rid of that smell. As for sashimi konnyaku, you don't have to do it.

[stephle]

Heads up for anyone who's looking to buy some Konnyaku/Shirataki but doesn't have access to a good Asian market, my local Whole Foods has been carrying the wide noodles (the ones mixed with tofu that resembe fettucini). Cost is a little higher than at Mitsuwa but when you factor in the 30 miles I need to drive, it's a bargain!

[GlorifiedRice]

YAY!!!!

I can FINALLY make delicious Konnyaku Jellies/Jell-O at home!

I went to Washington Ave in Philly on Saturday and found rare Konnyaku Jelly/Jell-O mix!

Pic of the back: http://i6.tinypic.com/4rc67uh.jpg

I used 2 liters of water and the entire pack of mix. I used my own food coloring and Williams Sonoma and Wilton flavorings. I made 2 flavors out of one pack, Lime and Cherry. I added Maraschino Cherries to the Cherry flavor. The little bit of unflavored left over IS ACTUALLY elastic!

I cant wait. I hope I didnt add too much flavoring and ruin it.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the "pure" Konnyaku Powder I bought from Miracle Noodle has something added to allow it NOT to "gel" in the manner of those now banned Konnyaku Jelly Cups. I made this mix the exact same way as the other times with the powder and the glucomannan gelcaps that I opened up and measured the powder exactly.

Edited May 15, 2007 by GlorifiedRice (log)

[SheenaGreena]

does anyone know of a mailorder place online that sells sashimi style konnyaku? All I can get here in the boston area is the white and gray blocks and the shirataki noodles

[SheenaGreena]

I bought this stuff and I have NO idea what it is...looks tasty though?

konnyaku mystery item

[Hiroyuki]

I bought this stuff and I have NO idea what it is...looks tasty though?

konnyaku mystery item

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The Japanese on the package was ambiguous, so I had to google for confirmation.

Basically, it's warabi mochi, but unlike regular warabi mochi, it contains konnyaku powder.

It's made from sugar, starch, konnyaku powder, and warabi powder.

Simply eat it with the supplied kinako (roasted soybean powder).

It tasted like smelly feet, even with the warabi-moch power. I couldn't eat it.

What a disgusting remark about warabi mochi and kinako!

[melonpan]

It tasted like smelly feet, even with the warabi-moch power. I couldn't eat it.

What a disgusting remark about warabi mochi and kinako!

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you should hear what people tell me to my face about what they think about kimchi and duenjang... *shrug*

their loss. more for me.