Neon Agar-Agar Noodles (Printable)

Colorful agar-agar noodles served chilled with a flavorful soy-based dipping sauce and fresh garnishes.

# What You Need:

→ Neon Agar-Agar Noodles

01 - 2 1/8 cups water
02 - 1/4 ounce agar-agar powder
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - Assorted neon food coloring, gel or liquid, food-safe

→ Dipping Sauce

05 - 1/3 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 grated fresh ginger
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1 scallion, finely sliced
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

→ Garnish

13 - Microgreens or edible flowers (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine water, agar-agar powder, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until agar-agar dissolves completely (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
02 - Remove from heat, pour the hot liquid into separate bowls for each desired color. Add a drop or two of food coloring to each portion and stir well.
03 - Use a syringe or squeeze bottle to pipe colored agar mixture into a bowl of ice water, creating noodle-like strands. Allow to set for 1 to 2 minutes until firm. Alternatively, pour mixture into a flat tray, let it set, then slice into thin noodles with a sharp knife.
04 - Collect the noodles, rinse briefly under cold water, drain thoroughly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Whisk together soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in sliced scallion and toasted sesame seeds if desired.
06 - Arrange neon agar-agar noodles into small bundles, garnish with microgreens or edible flowers if preferred, and serve chilled alongside the dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bounce and texture feel like nothing you've eaten before, playful enough to make people smile.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you can serve it without awkward ingredient questions.
  • Takes less than an hour total, but looks like you spent the whole afternoon plotting something brilliant.
02 -
  • Don't skip the constant stirring when the agar first heats; lumps will ruin the texture and you'll end up with chewy bits instead of smooth strands.
  • Ice water is non-negotiable—room temperature won't set the noodles properly, and you'll end up with sauce instead of food.
  • Prep your colors before you heat the agar; once it's hot, you need to move fast or it starts setting in the pan.
03 -
  • Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid, so you need less and your noodles won't be watery; this matters more than you'd think.
  • If you don't have a syringe, a squeeze bottle works just fine, and honestly sometimes produces more chaotic and interesting shapes.
  • Make a test batch with one color first to dial in your technique before you commit to the rainbow.
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