1 / 1
Fluffy white rice with half the calories? Yes, you read that right. Against The Grain brings you must try Shirataki rice and noodles
The Ocampo family is known for their love of food, cooking and dining. Their latest venture, Against The Grain ventures into the world of Shirataki. Through this, they hope to help Filipinos eat full flavour, low-calorie meals.
Many of you may have heard of this sought after product, but if not, let me tell you a bit about it. Shirataki rice and noodles rose to fame for their ability to serve as an ultra-low-carb rice or noodle substitute, making its way to every health fanatic, and carb-conscious person's grocery lists.
Also known as the miracle noodle, Shirataki (which is made from Konjac root) is truly a health buff's dream come true. While it does have a bouncier texture which is not identical to that of our beloved carby favourites, it does the trick and is an excellent addition to your pantry when trying to shed off a few pounds. The noodles are more like glass noodles, think Japchae. They're transparent and have a tighter, bouncier texture. Pure Shirataki rice, on the other hand, does not mimic good old fluffy white rice as it sort of is like chopped up glass noodles in truth.
However… Against The Grain has found the perfect concoction. With a dash of rice flour, their Shirataki rice is so good that you won't even realise it is not pure white rice! While yes, its calories are higher than standard Shirataki rice, its flavour, and texture are as good as the real thing, and with 50 per cent fewer calories per cup at that!
Read on to learn from Emilio Ocampo, who is spearheading this new concept:
1 / 1
1 / 1
Why did you and your family want to start this brand? Why the focus on low-calorie rice and noodle alternatives?
We wanted to start this brand because my family have been heavy Shirataki eaters for the past three years and constantly have trouble finding a consistent source for dry Shirataki. We found that while there was such a large demand for the product, the supply was scarce.
What is Shirataki and Konjac?
Shirataki is a carbohydrate alternative that can be in either wet or dry form. It is rooted in the Konjac plant. The dry versions which Against The Grain sells taste more like actual rice and noodles than the wet variant type due to the use of rice and tapioca flour as well as any other carbohydrate alternative.
The rice alternative you have is so similar to rice, it’s fantastic and is still half the calories! Could you tell us more about it?
The addition of rice flour allows the Shirataki to become dry and have a more dense form than the wet variant. Because of that, it allows the rice to absorb the water more efficiently. It now has more of the texture and taste of actual rice in comparison to wet Shirataki.
Read more: 9 Healthy Recipes From Your Favourite Celebrities
1 / 1
Can people buy ready to cook kits from you with pre-measured ingredients?
No, we are not making ready-to-cook sets but we will be posting different recipes on our Instagram page! We have tested each one and made sure that they go very well with the Shirataki rice and noodles.
What is next for Against The Grain?
In the future, we plan on supplying restaurants with our Shirataki as well. We hope this can be a staple in this country and an alternative that is available everywhere.
Read more: 3 Healthy Science Backed Diets To Try
About
Isabel loves to learn, and see things from different perspectives. Connecting with people and engaging in new experiences to broaden her horizons is what inspires this storyteller, keeping her constantly curious, and excited for what's to come. An absolute love for all things F&B ignited a hunger to devour content from this world and keeps her jumping into tasty adventures around the globe. From the beauty of simple bites, to nuanced fine dining tasting menus, street food, and the art of entertaining, the multi-faceted nature of the dining experience is something she can't get enough of. A good cup of coffee or a glass of wine paired with a dash of witty conversation is a quick way to win her over. This editor loves travelling, food, music, skincare, fitness, and is only friends with people who love dogs. Guilty pleasure?: Binge-watching TV shows and movies she has already seen.
Work
Concept creation is the name of the game and branding takes centre stage in Isabel's day-to-day schedule. From producing shoots, conceptualising bespoke projects for our partners, relationship management, to cooking up features and events for Tatler Dining, this editor is a tried and tested foodie at heart. She mainly writes content for Tatler Dining, engaging in captivating discussions with restaurateurs, chefs, producers, and food enthusiasts to tell must-know stories. Aside from that Isabel manages Tatler Dining's flagship events like Off Menu, or Cocktail Festival and puts together the Tatler Dining Guide, our annual listing of the best eats around town.
Follow her on Instagram @isabelvmf.
