Green Tea Vermicelli: Subtle Delight!

I had never heard of green tea vermicelli, but when I discovered it in the grocery store I knew I had to try it. 

I needed a sauce that would enhance the flavor of this unusual vermicelli without being overpowering. I decided to make a simple clam sauce to serve with my new find. For the clam sauce, I used

• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
• 1/2 cup butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine

I sauteed the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. I drained the mince clams and saved about half of the liquid.

Into the mixture, I then stirred the clams, the clam liquid, butter, salt, pepper, and wine. I simmered the new mixture for 20 minutes. It was ready when the sauce thickened.

While the sauce simmered, I brought some water to a boil for the vermicelli. I added some olive oil and salt to the water, then added the vermicelli and let it cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.

When the vermicelli was ready, I twirled it into a nest as you can see above. Then I put some sauce on top. The meal was quite a success!

The vermicelli is made from wheat flour, green tea powder, spinach powder, and salt. It is produced by a Korean company called Sempio.

I was initially drawn to this vermicelli because I love green tea and drink it often. I wondered how much of a green tea flavor would persist after the vermicelli was cooked, and I found the green tea taste to be pretty delicate. There was also a subtle spinach taste. I am quite familiar with spinach pasta, but the flavor of this vermicelli seemed more understated to me than regular spinach pasta. 

The clam sauce was a good choice to top off the vermicelli because it did not overwhelm the subtle vermicelli taste. The vermicelli was definitely worth a try...and I will soon use it again!