On the quest to find my ****ake or Kelp noodles, I ventured into one of the large Asian markets nearby today. Shopping with an Asian friend, I followed her lead and purchased a nice amount of shredded papaya from produce.

I just mixed it up with a few raisins and diced apples. I tossed it with some raspberry vinagrette. I have to say, this is my new fabulous find. Most Asian supermarkets have this ready to go in produce in a large vat. I have been passing it for years but no more. This will be in my basket every week.

I have just read about all the fantastic benefits of papaya as well. WOW! Another reason--and perhaps the best reason--to add it to my list each week.

Just wanted to share! By the way, I still have not located my noodles!

Sounds yummy. Is it dried?

I like the convenience of the papaya shreds. This is green/unripe papaya so it is not sweet, a little tart. My concern is that the stuff is in the open in that big vat (occasionally covered) and does not discolor. I wonder if it is treated? In my markets it is usually next to the long shreds of carrot which must be treated as they remain orange with no browning from air exposure.

As to usage, I usually take whatever fresh veggies are around like cucumber, carrot, tomato, green or regular onion and make a colorful mix, dressing with fish sauce, lime and a little sugar or Splenda. Throw in some protein like shrimp or chicken and you have a great meal or snack. I make enough for several servings.

As to the shirataki noodles, in both the Chinese and the Korean large markets I find them near the tofu packed in clear water-filled bags. They are also labeled yam noodles, and there will also be blocks of the konnyaku that they are made from labeled "yam cake". The clear ones make a nice addition to the papaya salad adding a different texture, and bulk. I usually simmer them first (sometimes adding some soy sauce to the water) and then use scissors to cut into manageable lengths.

I find the noodles in my produce section of the regular grocery. They're in a low case with other more "exotic" produce. I don't them myself, but others do, so keep looking.

Hey, thanks for the tips Tommy I really appreciate all the detail in your post. You sound like you know a lot about the asian style of cooking--I have been shopping in the Asian markets for a while now but am beginning to branch out.

Thank you too water rat! I will definitely look again this weekend.

Tommy, I do not know if it's treated or not. That's a valid question/concern. I did notice there was fluid in the bottom of the vat but I just took it from the top. I did find several recipes using the shredded papaya with shrimp, fish sauce, tamarind and the like. I will definitely be doing some experimenting--it is very yummy, nutritionally very beneficial and 55 calories a cup. Even more so, it's easy.

I've never seen the green papaya preshredded before, but I've been tempted to buy a whole papaya and shred it myself (these aren't small, they're about the size of a very overgrown zucchini or a large butternut squash).

I order papaya salad at the thai restaurant quite often. It's more like a vegetable than a fruit, and a fairly bland one, like shredded zucchini, cucumber, or cabbage. The thai salad reminds me of a slightly fishy (because of the fish sauce dressing) amd garlicky cole slaw. Super good. It's the most popular lunch of women in thailand and surrounding areas. Some recipes have a fair amount of sugar because of the tamarind or because they add granulated sugar to the dressing, but the owner of the thai restaurant in town, makes hers with no oil, no sugar and very little tamarind (sort of like a fruit paste, though it's from a pod technically). The dressing is made with tomatoes, small slices of lime, fish sauce, garlic, tamarind, peanuts and maybe cilantro, which is pounded with a pestle in a mortar until the tomatoes and lime release their juices and the tamarind is dissolved. Then the shredded papaya, thin shavings of thai green eggplant, and raw snake beans (a very long, slender green bean) are added.

I don't know for certain, but I think the papaya is acidic enough that it doesn't discolor. I've watched the family owning the restaurant shred the papaya and they shred it quite a bit in advance. they put it in a large tupperware stule container, and didn't seem to add any preservative to it.

SUCCESS. I find the Shiratake noodles right alongside the TOFU at the average market today. I am going to research some recipes and do some experimenting. The whole package is just 40 calories so I am really hoping it will something I enjoy.

Thank you both for your help locating this.

did you try it yet? They look awfully slimy to me!!!

I don't get to the Asian market very often, but the next time I go I'll have to look for those shreds - thanks for the tip! My favorite from the Asian market is the baby bok choy, which is so much better than anything I've ever bought at a traditional supermarket.