This strong gelling agent, widely used in Japan, comes from red algae and is very low in calories. 2g will replace a leaf of gelatin. Dilute and add while still warm to your dishes.

The origins of agar-agar are more complicated than at first would appear. Indeed, it looks like a simple white powder with no smell or taste, yet in reality it is a mucilage obtained from several red algae from the Gelidium cartilagineum or Gracilaria species.

Agar-agar involves a long process:

• The algae are collected from the beaches of Pen Lan, a special protected site under Natura 2000
• They are then washed and dried several times.
• Then boiled.
• Once they have cooled down and been dried out, the mucilage forms in thin strips which are then ground down to a powder.

It is used widely in cooking now; widely replacing gelatin. It is a totally natural product, obtained solely from plant materials, with virtually no calorific value, whilst it is a far better gelling agent than gelatin. All this is what makes it so successful!

Half a teaspoon of agar-agar is enough to make a flan, a mousse or a terrine.