Top 3 recipes using agar agar

Oct 19, 2022

More and more people are looking for alternatives to traditional "binding agents." Vegans are looking for an alternative to classic gelatin that they can successfully incorporate into their diet. Agar agar, a "gelatin" made from seaweed, is a popular choice. Here are three of the best recipes using it.

What is agar agar?

Agar agar, available in our store, is a gelling substance made from red algae growing on the coast of Japan. It has a neutral taste and odor. Therefore, there's no need to worry that desserts, cakes, or sauces containing this product will have a marine odor or aftertaste. Agar agar is virtually calorie-free, but it's rich in fiber, vitamins K, E, B6, folic acid, and omega-3 fatty acids.
An additional advantage of agar agar is that it can be reheated several times. Cooking with it requires a bit of skill and sensitivity, so if the jelly is a bit too thick, you can easily reheat it and add more juice until the desired consistency is achieved. This also works the other way around. If the dish is too thin, simply add a little more agar agar. It's a very practical product. It doesn't require refrigeration, as it sets at 30°C.

What to prepare with agar agar?

Here are 3 simple and tasty recipes:

Colorful jelly beans for children without preservatives and sugar

There's something about jelly beans that makes children love them from a young age. Unfortunately, the ones available in stores aren't healthy, so moms with a sweet tooth can roll up their sleeves and make healthy homemade jelly beans. Fortunately, with agar agar, it's easy and takes no more than 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

100 g raspberries
6 tablespoons of coconut milk
About half a teaspoon of agar agar
Half a teaspoon of bourbon vanilla

Preparation:
Working time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Binding time: 1 day
Difficulty level: easy

Strain the raspberries through a sieve. Transfer to a pot, add the coconut milk and agar agar, mix well, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the vanilla. Bring to a boil again. The mixture should be quite thick and stretchy. Transfer to small silicone molds and chill in the refrigerator. Remove from the molds after about 10-12 hours. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Despite the addition of coconut milk, the jellies don't have a coconut flavor. The milk is used to provide consistency.

You can also use strawberries, blueberries, or peaches to make these jellies. Frozen fruit is also suitable.

Plum marmalade

Plum season is in full swing. You can make a lot of delicious preserves from them. We recommend plum marmalade:

Ingredients:

500 g plums
6 tablespoons of cane sugar
1 teaspoon of cardamom
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Some vanilla sugar
1/3 teaspoon agar agar

Preparation:
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty level: easy

Wash the plums, remove the pits, and chop them into small pieces. Add the sugar and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cardamom, vanilla sugar, and cinnamon.
Remove the pot from the heat, add 1/3 teaspoon of agar agar, and bring to a boil again. Boil briefly. Rinse the jar with boiling water and pour the marmalade into it. Close the jar tightly. After a moment, turn it upside down and let it cool.
There's not much sugar in this version, so the marmalade may seem a bit tart. If you prefer it sweeter, you can add an extra teaspoon of sugar.

Jelly with vegetables

A great healthy snack, full of vitamins and colors. Perfect for any season:
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty level: easy

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dried basil
50 g dried tomatoes (not in oil)
400 ml of vegetable broth
2 carrots
1 zucchini
1 leek (white part)
150 g green peas (preferably frozen)
1 teaspoon agar agar
100 ml of wine vinegar
A pinch of salt
Pepper, cane sugar to taste

Yogurt sauce

2 eggs
25 g capers
1 onion
2 teaspoons of parsley
4 pickled cucumbers
150 ml of sour cream or 4 tablespoons of thick yogurt
Pepper, salt to taste

Preparation:

Bring the basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and vegetable stock to a boil and let steep for about 15 minutes. Strain through a sieve.
Chop the carrots, celery, leek, and zucchini into small strips. In a large pot, bring water to a boil with a pinch of Himalayan salt (link). Add the chopped vegetables to the boiling water and cook briefly until softened. Drain the water, cool the vegetables under cold water, and drain well. Boil the peas and drain well in a colander (or on paper towels). Divide the vegetables between four salad bowls, each with a capacity of approximately 250 ml.
Dissolve the agar agar in 5 tablespoons of the prepared broth. Heat the remaining broth with vinegar. Add the agar agar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add pepper and sugar to taste. Pour the hot broth over the vegetables in the salad bowls, cool, and set aside in a cool place for 6 hours.

Yogurt sauce

Hard-boil the eggs, cool, peel, and chop them into thick slices. Finely dice the peeled cucumbers, capers, and onion. Add the parsley, stir in the yogurt, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Prepare the sauce just before serving.
Just before serving, briefly plunge the salad bowls into hot water to release the gelatin. Serve with a spoonful of yogurt sauce and brown bread.

Agar agar has so many uses, it's worth including in your daily diet, especially since it's healthier than traditional gelatin.