Neon Agar-Agar Noodle Clouds (Print)

Chilled vibrant agar-agar noodles paired with a savory soy dipping sauce create a playful fusion appetizer.

# Components:

→ Neon Agar-Agar Noodles

01 - 2 cups water
02 - 0.25 oz agar-agar powder
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - Assorted neon food coloring (gel or liquid, food-safe)

→ Dipping Sauce

05 - 0.33 cup soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon mirin
08 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1 scallion, finely sliced
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

→ Garnish

13 - Microgreens or edible flowers (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a saucepan, combine water, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously until agar-agar powder fully dissolves, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Remove from heat and divide the hot liquid into separate bowls for each color. Add one or two drops of neon food coloring to each bowl and stir thoroughly.
03 - Pipe the colored mixture into a bowl of ice water using a syringe or squeeze bottle to create noodle-like strands. Let set in the ice water for 1 to 2 minutes until firm. Alternatively, pour mixture into a flat tray, allow to set, then slice thinly into noodles with a sharp knife.
04 - Collect the noodles, rinse briefly with cold water, drain thoroughly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce (or tamari), rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sugar until sugar dissolves completely. Stir in sliced scallions and sesame seeds if using.
06 - Arrange chilled agar-agar noodles in small bundles on serving dishes. Garnish with microgreens or edible flowers if desired. Serve alongside the dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bouncy, jewel-like noodles are pure texture theater that makes people smile before they even taste them.
  • It's naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free, so no one gets left out of the fun.
  • Prep is quick enough that you can pull it together on a whim, yet it looks like you spent hours planning.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice water step—it's what transforms the liquid into that magical bouncy texture; room temperature water won't work and you'll end up with a gelled puddle instead of noodles.
  • Agar-agar sets fast, so have your ice water ready and your piping tool in hand before you remove the pot from the heat.
  • A little food coloring goes a long way; start with a tiny drop and build up the color gradually to avoid ending up with something that looks artificial or tastes faintly of chemicals.
03 -
  • Keep your ice water really cold by adding ice cubes just before you start piping; warm water won't set the noodles properly and you'll lose all that bouncy texture.
  • If you're making multiple colors, work quickly and efficiently so your agar doesn't begin to set in the pan before you've piped it all.
Back