While browsing chef Mie Okuda’s cookbook “Thinking of You,” I found an interesting recipe for Shirataki Fried Rice. It is supposed to taste like fried rice but with only half of the calories. It piqued my curiosity. Could this recipe really taste as delicious as regular fried rice?
Fried rice is a staple dish in Chinese families. It consists of steamed rice stir-fried in a wok, often mixed with meat, vegetables, and eggs. The secret in making delicious fried rice is to use leftover rice because it has a harder texture so it’s easier to separate the grains from one another.
In a previous article, we introduced a miracle ingredient, shirataki noodles. It has no calories but has a lot of soluble fiber. It makes you feel full, boosts your energy level, and speeds up your metabolism.
I met up with Okuda and we started preparing the ingredients as usual in a cheerful atmosphere.
All of a sudden, she lifted up her $2,000 Japanese handmade knife and stared at it with her keen eyes, so I leaned forward and stared at it, too. She pointed out that her knife wasn’t as sharp today. Yep, that’s how much chefs love their knives.
We continued with the chopping, mixing, seasoning, cooking, and finally came the moment of truth! As I took a spoonful of the shirataki fried rice into my mouth, I closed my eyes and said “Mmm. …” It was shockingly delicious!
It felt like a comfort food and was very homey. It tasted like a lighter version of risotto. It was moist and soft, and with some crunchiness from the vegetables. If this was diet food then I could eat it all day long.
So could shirataki fried rice with only half of the calories of regular fried rice be as delicious as regular fried rice? Absolutely!
Shirataki Fried Rice Recipe
Prep time and cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 2 servings
1 package shirataki noodles
1 cup rice, steamed
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 mushrooms, chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 chicken breast, minced
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Blanch shirataki noodles for 1 minute and drain. Chop them into rice grain-sized pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, then scramble eggs. Once done, put the egg in a bowl and set aside.
In the same frying pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the chicken and then add vegetables, and sauté everything for 2 minutes. Add shirataki noodles and rice to the frying pan and lightly press the rice with the bottom of a ladle to break it up and keep it from sticking together. Add scrambled egg, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and mix everything well.
(Recipe adapted from “Thinking of You” by Mie Okuda, Momokawa Culinary Arts, 2014)
