Authentic Aromas

Like most women I know, I've been on a diet for twenty years. Empty carbs are forbidden. Pasta and bread are no-nos. There are few things we won't do to add flavor and texture to our daily intake.

When Tofu Shirataki first hit the market, I bought every shape and size and began experimenting. But the first time around, I wasn't that impressed. The noodles smelled sort of weird, and their texture was more rubber than al dente.

A weekend discussion with another life-time dieter reminded me of the carbless wonders and I decided to give them another try.

Instructions for preparing Tofu Shirataki warn users to rinse the noodles thoroughly in order to remove the "authentic aroma." (Imagine the panicked calls to the Shirataki factory before this blurb was added to packaging. "My noodles smell funny." "Are these supposed to stink like a barnyard?") This time around, I rinsed and rinsed, and rinsed them again. Eventually the authentic aroma faded. At that point, I rinsed again, boiled in water for about 3 minutes, drained, and tossed them with Thai salad dressing.

The result? Pretty good. These noodles don't taste exactly like pasta, but they are a nice substitute especially in Asian recipes.

Thai-Style Dressing for Noodle Salad
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup white rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Thai chili paste
3 teaspoons honey
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons grated ginger
Sesame oil
Tamari
Sriracha
Generous handful of unsalted, roasted peanuts

Use pestle and mortar to roughly crush peanuts. Whisk together all ingredients, including oil, tamari, and Sriracha to taste. Serve over greens, green onion, cucumber, grated carrots, chili peppers, cilantro, basil, and rice noodles.