I discovered this food item only last month, before the Passover holiday. The 200 gr pack was lying on a shelf in the health store. It made me curious as it boasted 9 calories per 100 gr, no glutten, no sugar, no salt, no stabilizers - no additives whatsoever - only fiber . Almost too good to be true (it even had a label with 'kosher le Pesach' on it). The pasta comes in various forms: noodles, rice, couscous. I chose the noodles package for trial.
They say the product in our health store is not the original, but a local version - and a much better one - a version that got rid of an initial bad (fishy) smell that comes from the konjac plant upon which this product is based.
instructions on the back of package
Well, after opening the pack, removing the water and giving the pasta a good rinse, I divided it in two parts, and left the second half in the fridge for next day consumption. I warmed the stuff in a pan; next, threw it into a small pot with 1 and a half glass of boiling water and a 1/2 flat teaspoon of organic veggie soup powder (Holland 'naturfood' powder is the only brand I use in my kitchen)- and, voila, a little soup with noodles for only 9 calories.
It was delicious. Really. One warning though: drink much water after that as these noodles tend to absorb the liquids in the stomach and this might cause problems for certain people. I heard there were consummers complaining of nausea following the eating of a skinny pasta dish. Me, I wasn't familiar with the water warning, and yet I felt nothing wrong.
There are suggestions to combine this pasta with various sauces and veggies to improve its taste and texture. It's possible, of course, and it could work very nicely, but there's no need to, and I wouldn't recommend that to those who want it as a tool in their weightloss process - 'the less, the better'.
front and back of package
Anyway, I shall definitely try it again (pity it's a bit pricey in our parts) and then decide whether to include it in my regular menu . I intend to eat the pasta soup in the evening, because it's a light meal and because it gives a sense of fullness that'll, hopefully, keep me well away from food until next day.
