Agar Agar (kanten?)

I have never used agar agar before. Can anyone give me some tips? I would like, for example, to use it to thicken a fruit mousse. Also, does anyone have a good chocolate mousse recipes, using agar agar, but no soy?
Thanks,
Tart Queen I had a dreadful experience with Agar-agar a while ago. I tried to sub it for gelatin in a coffee dessert and it was a liquidy mess. It was my own fault however and I am trying to make nice with it again.
I recently bought some from a Japanese market near my house and Adult Webcam't know what to do with it. I know that it is more concentrated than gelatin and that it needs to be fully heated before being added to anything. Other than that, I Adult Webcam't know much else.
I'm afraid that this wasn't very helpful. Last edited by on Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:33 am, edited 1 time in total. there are some very helpful tips in myra kornfeld's excellent _the voluptuous vegan_, which I'd recommend to non-vegans as well. She also has a new book out for 'flexitarians', _the healthy hedonist_, which includes poultry and seafood recipe, as well as more agar tips. I Adult Webcam't have either one in front of me, unfortunately. If you can't get to either one, a google search for kanten produces some helpful results.
I find the texture somewhat different from gelatin set items--firmer, and less jiggly. thanks once again, tangaloor. kornfeld looks like a good one to check out.
here's a link that i found in another chef's website:
she had some tips and a recipes that didn't appeal much me much, but the general info could be helpful.
tq I haven't used agar in cooking, although I have eaten desserts set with it. I do however use it in the lab quite often to set liquids, where it does need to come to a boil before fully dissolving. Then, as it cools it gels nicely. it comes in several forms as well, powder, flakes or bars. The flakes and bars take significantly longer at the boil to dissolve, and you need quite a bit more of them. However, Ms. Kornfeld claims the powder has a "sea" taste which she finds unpleasant unless used in something with a strong flavour which can mask it. I haven't noticed the sea taste, personally, but I've only used agar for fruit and chocolate items. For custard-type gels it may be an issue. I first used agar agar "on the commune" in the early '70s using a recipes in one of the few vegetarian cookbooks then available--"Ten Talents." I'm not sure if the cookbook is still in print. The cover has a very conservative looking woman dressed in white reading the Bible. It espouses a vegan diet (although I Adult Webcam't think the word vegan is ever used--the book was published long before the word came into popular usage) and the recipe are simple, but good.
Agar Jell has a different texture than "Jello," but it is a pleasant texture.
Here is the recipes I have often used for Orange Banana Agar Jell:
Mix 4 level Tbs. agar-agar flakes (or 1 stick of agar-agar) with 2 cups of cold water. Let set 1 minute. Add 2 cupes of hot water and boil for 2 minutes. Let cool. Add 2 cups of orange juice, 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 cup (or less) honey. Cut in 3-4 sliced bananas and let set undisturbed. Will jell in two hours.
Other fresh fruits including pineapple may be added to this jell. Celeste I've used agar powder successfully to recreate my mother's old chiffon pie recipe. Substitute and aqual amount of agar for gelatin, then add it to some of the liquid from the recipes. Bring to a boil to dissolve. Let cool. Fold into remaining ingredients. You have to be vigilant here, as you Adult Webcam't want the gel to set up too firmly before you mix everything together. I've never noticed a fishy taste. The nice thing about agar gels is that they Adult Webcam't start to melt in a hot room. Dear friends,
Agar is a gelling agent used widely in Japan. Some people tell that it has a "fishy" smell..(though I havent heard anything like that before) because it's obtained from seaweed.
You can find some more information in the teacher's (commercial) website...also there are two recipe there...