Don't Know How To Use Agar Agar? We Got You Covered!

 

Have you ever heard of the ingredient, gelatin? If you have, then you might already know that it is a common compound to make gelatinous desserts, like cakes, candies, etc. But, gelatin is a non-vegetarian compound extracted from animals ones or skin. Hence, for vegans, there is a substitute for gelatin, called agar agar.

No worries, it’s no jargon, rather it is a jelly-like compound originating from the South East Asian red seaweed. The substance is a simple ingredient with no color or taste in itself. You can easily find them in your nearby local stores. They are available in many forms such as powder, strands, bars, or flakes.

Now, let’s understand some of its uses.

What are its uses?

As this is a substitute for gelatin, it can similarly be used in various dishes, such as mousses, jellies, puddings, ice cream, cheesecake, and gummies, if you want to give it a vegan touch. The substance can also be used as a thickening or stabilizing agent in certain dishes. Moreover, this is a very famous ingredient in some of the Japanese deserts too.

Agar agar is also recognized as China grass, China glass, Japanese kanten, and dai choy goh.

Since the compound is 80% dietary fiber, it can work as an intestinal regulator too.

Also, it is highly used for microbiological purposes like in labs, or as paper-sizing fabric filler. It is also used as a clarifying agent in brewing. Some other miscellaneous uses include impression-making material in dentistry, modeling clay, bio-fertilizer, and glue or as an MRI elastic gel.

How to use it in cooking?

As a natural ingredient, it is largely known as a cooking agent; so, let’s understand how it is used in cooking.

In order to thicken a dish or stabilize it, regardless of the form used, agar agar is activated by boiling it in the liquid for approximately five minutes unless it gets dissolved. Once dissolved, you need to keep the substance aside to set it to 38 - 40 degrees Celsius.

More precisely, if you're using the agar flakes or strands, soak them for ten minutes in water to soften them, and then boil them while stirring continuously until thoroughly dissolved. You'll be able to tell when the agar has entirely dissolved this way. The jelly won't set correctly if there are still any gritty pieces of the substance floating around or stuck to the pan's bottom. So, be sure to twirl that hand well!

When using the powdered agar, combine it with all the other ingredients and let it settle for five minutes. This form should never be combined with warm or hot water as it will form a lump that will be difficult to dissolve. Observe if the agar has dissolved completely by stirring it into a liquid at room temperature, and then only bring it to a rolling boil. Pour into a mold and then let it set.

Now, you can make yourself something delicious!

Also, for the best cooking experience, use only top-quality agar, such as the one offered by Cape Crystal Brands (https://www.capecrystalbrands.com/). With this product, you will also get a free agar agar cookbook, so there is no room for confusion anymore! 

To know more about their emulsifier products, call them at 908-273-5600 or email them at info@capecrystalbrands.com