How to Use agar agar

Agar agar—also known as jelly, jelly, kanten, Japanese gelatin, vegetable gelatin—is a vegetable gel extracted from red algae, a type of seaweed. Agar agar has many uses, but is mainly used in cooking. Agar agar is odorless, tasteless, and contains only 3 calories per gram. This article will guide you to prepare agar agar and some ways to use agar agar.

Table of Contents

Prepare agar agar

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Choose the most suitable type of agar agar. Agar agar is usually sold in 3 forms: powder, flakes or bars. All three forms are of the same quality; The only difference is in the preparation stage. Powdered agar is usually the easiest to use, as it can be substituted for gelatin in a 1:1 ratio (1 teaspoon (3g) gelatin is equivalent to 1 teaspoon (2g) agar powder). ^{[1] X Research Sources} Powdered agar is also more soluble than flakes or bars. You should choose powdered agar if you are not sure which one to use.

Aagar agar bars are white, light, cold-cured. You can grind the agar agar stick in a coffee grinder or pepper mill, or break it up by hand to make it easier to dissolve. One bar of agar agar is equivalent to 2 teaspoons (about 4g) of agar agar powder. ^{[2] X Research Source}
Agar agar flakes can also be ground in a coffee or pepper mill and is not as concentrated as a powder. This variety is white and looks like fish food. 2 tablespoons (about 8g) of flake agar is equivalent to 2 teaspoons of powdered agar. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
You can find agar agar at natural food stores, Asian food stores, or online.

Add the agar agar to the liquid and stir with a whisk. The hardness of the jelly will depend on the amount of agar agar you use. If the recipe doesn’t include agar agar, you can follow the rule: To thicken 1 cup (240 ml) of liquid, use 1 teaspoon (about 2 g) of powdered agar, or 1 tablespoon (4 g) flake agar, or ½ agar agar stick. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If using agar agar instead of gelatin, you can use the same amount of agar agar powder for thickening as the recipe suggests. Or, for every teaspoon (3g) of gelatin, you would use 1 tablespoon (4g) of agar agar flakes or ½ bar of agar agar.
If you want to thicken an acidic liquid, such as citrus or strawberry juice, you may need to add agar agar. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
Some fruits are very acidic or have antifreeze enzymes that need to be broken down by cooking first. These fruits include kiwi, pineapple, fresh figs, papaya, mango and peach. ^{[6] X Research Source}
With these fruits, you can use canned ones so that you don’t have to cook, because canned fruits are all cooked in advance. ^{[7] X Research Source} You can also dissolve agar agar in boiling water, then mix with acidic liquids.

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Bring the solution to a boil and let it simmer. Powdered agar needs to be boiled for about 5 minutes, while flakes need to be boiled for 10-15 minutes. ^{[8] X Research Source} Stir the solution until the agar agar is completely dissolved. The agar will absorb water while it is simmering and will thicken the liquid as it cools.

Heat the liquid as warm as possible. One advantage of agar agar is that it begins to solidify at a much higher temperature than gelatin, so it will solidify at room temperature, even when heated. The liquid will start to solidify when the temperature drops below 45 degrees Celsius. The other ingredients in the mixture will lower the temperature causing the agar agar to solidify before you can prepare it, so you should heat the liquid. as hot as possible so that the temperature does not drop below 45 degrees Celsius.
If you want to make alcohol-flavored jelly, boil the agar agar with juice or other mixtures first, then stir in the wine last to prevent the alcohol from evaporating.

Pour the mixture into a mold or container and leave at room temperature to freeze. The mixture will start to freeze when it reaches 40-45 degrees Celsius and will stay that way if the temperature is maintained below 79 degrees Celsius. You don’t need to put the jelly in the refrigerator unless you want to eat it cold, so you can let it cool. dishes at room temperature without fear of melting or grout.

If you’re not sure you’ve used the right amount of agar agar, you can pour some into a cold bowl to see if it solidifies. If it doesn’t freeze after 30 seconds, you need to add agar agar. If it has frozen to the desired degree, you should add a little more liquid. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Do not stir or shake the jelly before it is completely frozen, or it will grout. ^{[10] X Research Source}
Do not grease the mold before pouring the mixture. Jelly jelly is also easy to remove from the mold, and grease will affect your finished product. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Unlike with gelatin, you can melt the frozen agar mixture (if you want to add other ingredients, pour into another mold, add more agar agar to make the agar harder, or add more liquid to make the jelly softer) , boil again, then let cool without affecting the ability of the agar. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Using agar agar in cooking

Make marshmallows by mixing agar agar with fruit juice or sweetened milk. Agar agar is inherently odorless, tasteless and will have the flavor of whatever ingredients are mixed with it, so the flavors you can create are limitless. The marshmallows stay firm at room temperature, so you can put them in a plate or bowl without worrying about melting and sticking. Try mixing agar agar with tea, juice, coffee – whatever feels good to you!

Try boiling chocolate milk with agar agar powder, then add in a pinch of cinnamon powder. Pour the mixture into small glass cups, let it cool and you’ll have a delicious sweet treat.
Remember that some acidic fruits require additional processing steps, as acids or enzymes will interfere with agar agar’s ability to set.
Pour the mixture into the silicone molds in pretty molds. So you’ll have marshmallows in the shape of stars, kittens, hearts, seashells, or whatever shape you can find.

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Make an edible cocktail using agar agar. You can make wine-flavored jelly for the party by boiling the mixture with agar agar. After simmering the mixture to dissolve all the ingredients, you will add the wine and stir. Pour the mixture into wine glasses or ice cube trays and let cool.

Try mixing agar agar with ingredients to make a hot toddy and serve hot at parties.

Use agar agar as a substitute for egg whites. Agar agar is a good substitute if egg whites are included in the recipe, but you’re a vegetarian, allergic to eggs, or just don’t like eggs. As an egg substitute, mix 1 tablespoon (4g) of agar agar powder with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Use a hand blender or whisk to stir the mixture, then refrigerate. Once the mixture is cold, take it out of the fridge and beat it again. This mixture will replace egg whites in baked goods and will not change the flavor or color of the cake. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Make a vegan pudding or custard using agar agar gel. Thick desserts often use lots of eggs for thickening and texture. Instead of eggs, try making an agar agar gel mixture following the steps in method 1. Use a blender or hand blender to blend until smooth. Mix this with the other ingredients, and you’ll have an egg-free but delicious dessert.

If you want to thicken the pudding or custard, you can add a little xanthan gum.
If you want to loosen the mixture, simply stir in a little more water or other liquid.

Using agar agar for health benefits

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Take agar agar to suppress appetite. Agar agar will expand in the stomach and make you think you are full. This method is known as the “kanten diet” in Japan and is used by many people to avoid overeating. ^{[14] X Research Source} People with type 2 diabetes who followed the agar agar diet significantly lost weight and improved their metabolism. ^{[15] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source} This diet can also help stabilize blood sugar levels. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Remember to consult your doctor before going on a diet with agar agar.
Make agar agar snacks to keep you feeling full throughout the day, or eat them with meals to keep them full.
Note that agar agar can also irritate the bowels causing you to have to go to the bathroom. ^{[17] X Research Source}
Remember to drink agar agar with at least 240 ml of water; otherwise, agar agar will expand and possibly block the esophagus or intestines. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

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Take agar agar tablets to stimulate bowel movements and laxatives. Agar agar is 80% fiber, so it can be useful if you want to treat constipation. However, you should absolutely not drink agar agar when you have an intestinal obstruction (a blockage in the intestines that makes it impossible to pass gas or have a bowel movement), as it can make the blockage worse. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Do not take agar agar tablets if you have sudden, severe abdominal pain, bloating and vomiting or nausea. Call your doctor, as this could be a sign of a bowel obstruction. ^{[20] X Research Sources}
Make sure to take agar agar with enough water, (at least 240 ml) when used as a laxative. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Advice

Agar agar is a great substitute for eggs in homemade ice cream. This is also a good choice if you have an egg allergy or want a stabilizer that is low in calories. ^{[22] X Research Source}
Mix agar agar with coconut milk to make a delicious tropical jelly! ^{[23] X Research Sources}
Although there are not many formal studies on the health benefits of agar agar, some recent research has shown that agar agar may have anti-inflammatory properties and may help manage certain conditions such as: steatosis. ^{[24] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to the source} Ask your doctor about the benefits of agar agar when included in your diet.

Steps

Prepare agar agar

Using agar agar in cooking

Using agar agar for health benefits

Advice

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