百子櫃THE HUNDRED DRAWERS
Agar
大菜
A plant gel extracted from seaweed, sold as a bundle of dried strands (大菜絲) or as powder. Boiled to dissolve, it sets at room temperature into a firm, clean-cut jelly, unlike the wobble of gelatine. It makes the vegetarian mango pudding and coconut agar jelly, and it suits vegetarian, halal and kosher guests. Asian grocers carry strands and agar powder on the dry shelf, Japanese and Korean grocers sell it as kanten, and some supermarket health aisles have agar powder.
Preparation
Cut the strands short and soak them soft, then boil until fully dissolved before adding sugar or milk; the powder goes straight into cold water and is brought to the boil.
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
Australian name · agar-agar strands or powder
Where · Asian grocer dry shelf; Japanese and Korean grocers (kanten); some supermarket health aisles (powder)
If it is not there · Gelatine, a softer wobble and not vegetarian
Where · Asian grocer dry shelf; Japanese and Korean grocers (kanten); some supermarket health aisles (powder)
If it is not there · Gelatine, a softer wobble and not vegetarian
