In recent years, konnyaku, the gelatinous food made from the konjac plant¡¯s corm, has been popularized as a choice ingredient for a healthy diet.
Konnyaku has nearly zero calories and repels, rather than absorbs, oil when cooking, allowing a skillet sear or stir-fry dish to be made with less oil. It also has no fat and is rich in dietary fiber. Studies indicate that eating konnyaku helps stabilize blood sugar and lower cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Because of its gut-cleansing properties and the corm¡¯s resemblance to a horned ogre, dishes made with konnyaku are served for Setsubun, a holiday in which various rituals to expel demons and welcome good fortune are performed. This year¡¯s Setsubun falls on Feb. 3. During my first celebration of Setsubun decades ago, I ate (and loved) strips of konnyaku tossed in a mild, creamy tofu sauce.
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