Marc's Recipes

  • Type
  • Ingredient
  • Course
  • Cuisine
  • Dietary
  • Sign Up
  • Log In
  • Contact
  • Signup
  • Log In
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Type
  • Ingredient
  • Course
  • Cuisine
  • Dietary
  • Sign Up
  • Log In
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Type
    • Ingredient
    • Course
    • Cuisine
    • Dietary
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Hamaguri no Sakamushi, a Japanese dish of sake-steamed clams, is plated here with opened shells and a light broth, finished with aromatic sansho leaves for a clean, herbal contrast.
      Sake Steamed Clams (Hamaguri No Sakamushi)
    • A hearty bowl of Mapo Zucchini glistens with spicy, umami-rich sauce, the tender squash and pork topped with a fragrant sprinkle of Sichuan pepper.
      Mapo Zucchini
    • Spicy kimchi and poached chicken in a salad.
      Poached Chicken & Kimchi Salad
    • Easy, spicy Curried Green Bean Salad.
      Curried Green Bean Salad
    • A side view of Carrot Kinpira, showing off its glossy strands and bold black sesame accents.
      Carrot Kinpira
    • Mentaiko Shiraae on a plate with shiso leaves.
      Mentaiko Shiraae
    • A stack of Chinese Pickled Cucumbers in a ceramic bowl.
      Chinese Pickled Cucumbers
    • A close-up shot of Bacon Broccoli Pasta shows each penne coated in a silky green sauce, with bits of crispy bacon peeking through for a savory punch.
      Bacon Broccoli Pasta
    • A close up of beautifully crisp rösti pancakes stacked in a wooden serving dish, showcasing irresistible golden-brown crispness.
      Crispy Potato Rosti
    • Salted cucumber and celery combined with basil leaves and sushi vinegar.
      Cucumber Basil Salad (Sunomono)
    • Spicy mentaiko and creamy butter adorn these steamed potatoes.
      Mentaiko Butter Potatoes
    • Cole slaw with a no mayo dressing.
      Tangy Coleslaw (No Mayo)
    Home » Course » Appetizers

    Pirikara Konnyaku

    September 27, 2023 by Marc Matsumoto 1 Comment

    Spicy pan-fried konnyaku glazed in a savory sweet sauce with toasted sesame seeds and chili flakes.

    Konnyaku is a firm jelly made from the corm of a Konjac plant. It's been a part of the traditional Japanese diet for centuries, but more recently, it's been popularized worldwide by people looking to reduce their calorie intake. Shaped into noodles, it's called Shirataki, and the almost-zero-calorie noodles come in shapes ranging from spaghetti to fettuccine. 

    Because konnyaku is composed almost entirely of water, it tends to have difficulty picking up flavors. That's why it's often stewed or added to soups, but that's not the only way to cook it. I like cutting it into thin pieces and then pan-frying it until it's browned. This creates more surface area, and the browning evaporates all the surface moisture, forming a crust that hangs onto the sauce much better. 

    Pan-fried konnyaku can then be used as a plant-based meat substitute in a wide variety of dishes, but today, I've kept it simple by glazing it with a savory sweet sauce with a spicy kick. Pirikara konnyaku (literally "spicy konnyaku") is a popular appetizer in Japan that's fantastic, accompanied by an ice cold beer, or packed as a side dish into a bento box lunch.

    Welcome to my Secret Stash!

    I’m Marc Matsumoto, creator of No Recipes and host of television’s Bento Expo. You’ve stumbled upon my secret stash with over 150 original recipes with a new one coming every week! Unlike my other site, these recipes are member-supported, so you won’t find any banner ads here. If you enjoy this recipe below, please consider becoming a member to access the rest of my private cookbook and get updates with my latest recipes.

    • ✓ No ads
    • ✓ Access the full stash of over 100 recipes
    • ✓ 1 new recipe per week
    • ✓ Support Norecipes.com

    Sign Up →

    Spicy pan-fried konnyaku glazed in a savory sweet sauce with toasted sesame seeds and chili flakes.

    Pirikara Konnyaku

    Print Pin Discuss
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 8 minutes mins
    Yield 2 servings

    Units

    Ingredients 

    • 220 grams konnyaku
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • Chili flakes to taste
    • 1 tablespoon sake
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • Cut 220 grams konnyaku into thin slices.
      Konyaku (konjac) sliced thinly.
    • Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, and then add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and Chili flakes.
      Chili flakes in a frying pan with vegetable oil.
    • When the chilies have stopped sizzling, add the sliced konnyaku and try to spread them out in a single layer. Pan-fry undisturbed until it's browned on one side.
      Pan-frying konyaku with chili flakes.
    • Flip the konnyaku over and brown the second side.
      Konyaku browned on one side.
    • When the konnyaku is browned on both sides, add 1 tablespoon sake, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar and let the sauce reduce until each slice of konnyaku is evenly glazed and no liquid is left in the pan. Finish by sprinkling on ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds.
      Glazing pan-fried konnyaku with a savory sweet sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories 69kcalCarbohydrates 6gProtein 2gFat 3gSaturated Fat 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0.01gSodium 519mgPotassium 43mgFiber 0.5gSugar 2gVitamin A 297IUVitamin C 0.01mgCalcium 10mgIron 0.5mg
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Japanese

    More Appetizers

    • Slippery glass noodles, tender shrimp, bright herbs, and crunchy toasted rice powder make this salad a textural feast.
      Yum Woon Sen (Glass Noodle Salad)
    • Tuna belly in a Japanese glaze.
      Ginger Braised Tuna Belly
    • Asparagus with Meyer lemon.
      Roasted Asparagus with Lemon
    • Closeup of Chicken Shumai.
      Chicken Shiitake Shumai

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      You must be logged in to post a comment.

    1. Kathy Stroup says

      September 29, 2023 at 5:24 am

      5 stars
      That's interesting konnyaku. What's in it? I think I bought that one years ago, but I didn't know what to do with it, and I really didn't like it. Oh, now I see. It's kelp powder that's making those flecks. I'm going to try this with the plain one, since that one is sold out at my supplier.

      I really do love konjac. It's got a fun texture and a mild flavor. I think it's just a matter of how you prepare it. And how could it not taste good with all that delicious stuff on it? It's a great Keto dish, too.

      Log in to Reply

    I started No Recipes back in 2007 as a place to share original dishes I'd created with friends. It's since evolved into something much bigger than I could have imagined, but as it grew, the focus shifted from inventing dishes to improving classics. In the spirit of how No Recipes began, I'm bringing back my weekly original recipes for all of my supporters and friends!

    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest

    More about me →

    Marc's Favorites

    • Hamaguri no Sakamushi, a Japanese dish of sake-steamed clams, is plated here with opened shells and a light broth, finished with aromatic sansho leaves for a clean, herbal contrast.
      Sake Steamed Clams (Hamaguri No Sakamushi)

    • Spicy mentaiko and creamy butter adorn these steamed potatoes.
      Mentaiko Butter Potatoes

    • Roasted chicken on a plate.
      Perfect Roast Chicken

    • Tenderloin slices with mushroom wine cream sauce.
      Tenderloin Steak and Creamy Mushroom Sauce

    • Taiwanese style glazed pork chops.
      Five Spice Glazed Pork Chops

    • Easy and delicious, these baked Tebasaki wings are a crispy, satisfying snack or appetizer.
      Tebasaki (Baked Japanese Wings)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Contact
    • About

    Newsletter

    • Recipe Updates by Email

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms and Conditions

    All text and photos ©2007-2023 by Marc Matsumoto. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.