VEGAN: info on agaragar (vegan JELLO)
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Subject: Re: Jigglers
Message-ID: <taltar.7...@sfu.ca>
From: tal...@beaufort.sfu.ca (Ted Altar)
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 20:59:07 GMT
Sender: ne...@sfu.ca
References: <1993Feb15....@sarah.albany.edu>
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
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rw9...@albnyvms.bitnet writes:
>I have a recipe for something called "Jello Jigglers" which is jello
>that has half the water required, and left to set in a pan and then cut
>into shapes or letters with cookie cutters. I don't eat gelatine,
>obviously, but would agar agar (kanten?) get this firm? The goal
>is to have a jello that is firm enough to pick up and have jiggle in
>your hands.
Yes! A 1-2% solution is sufficient to produce a gel. Agar
gels of even a 1%-2% are strong, resilent, somewhat
elastic, relatively transparent, thermally reversible, and
exhiit syneresis (contraction over time, with the
expulsion of water or other liquids; jello does the same).
The gel forms when the solution is cooled to 32-30 degrees
Celsius and does not melt below 85% degress C. It is this
very extreme hysteresis lag (the ability of agar to
gel at temperatures much lower than the gel-melting
temperature) that makes agar UNIQUE, and its many uses
depends on this characteristic.
Solution vicosity, gelling temperature, gel strength,
degree of syneresis and gel calrity may vary with the
seaweed source of the agar.
>Next question on agar agar - does it set with alcohol in it? I'm
>in the mood to make Nuclear Jello (made with vodka and eaten, rather
>than drunk) but don't know if it would work.
>Any insights?
That's a good question. I've never tried it before with alcohol.
Do a small test batch to find out. I suspect that with small
amounts of alcohol, it will still jel. The soluablilty of
agar depends on heat; hence it is insoluable in cold water
but upon heating (boiling water) it rapidly dissolves and
then forms a gel as the water is cooled. Solutions of
5% can be obtained by heating water to 95-100 degress C.
Just a bit of trivia: Agar has been used at .05-.15% in
the fining of wines and vinegar, where it was reported to
be MORE effective than gelatin and remove less tannins.
The use of sodium alginates for wine clarification has been
investigated in Russia, where it was reported to remove
nitrogenious substances as well as tannin and coloring
materials. Well, since we were talking about alcohol
and agar, I thought you might enjoy this bit of trivia :-)
Now, in case you didn't see my earlier posting on algar,
I'm appending it below for your benefit. Hope this
helps,
ted
=======================================================
"From an early age, I have abjured the use of meat, and the
time will come when men will look upon the murder of animals
as they look upon the murder of men"
Leonardo Da Vinci
JELLO SUBSTITUTES
As you know, jello is usually made from "gelatin", which is a
protein substance obtain by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments or
bones with water. Usually, these animal parts come from cattle
or hogs. Unfortunately, this animal product is used in shampoos,
face masks, and other cosmetics. It is more common known to be
used as a thickener from fruit gelatins and puddings ("jello").
Can also be found in candies, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream,
yogurts. Even on photographic film as a coating and in vitamins
as capsules. Sometimes used to assist in "clearing" wines.
AGAR-AGAR
Agar-agar is obtained from certain seaweeds and has iron,
calcium, phosphorous, iodine and vitamins A, C, and K, and it is
low in calories to boot. Adds soft fibrous bulk to the diet and
like pectin, according to food economist Judy Brown (see her
GUIDE TO NATURAL FOODS COOKING, which I recommend), it can bond
with toxic metals (lead?) to help carry them out of the digestive
track. I don't know about this latter point, but I do know that
this kind of soft fiber is rapidly fermentable increasing
microbial proliferation and excretion. It is thought that
microbial cell synthesis would help to scavenge degradable
nitrogenous substances which are thereby excreted along with the
microbes. Also, the more rapidly fermentable fiber appear to
have a favourable effect on mineral balance since calcium, zinc,
iron bound to these fibers are released as fermentation occurs
thereby made available for absorption by the colon. (see Hunt &
Groff, ADVANCED NUTRITION, 1990).
WHEN AND HOW TO USE AGAR-AGAR
Agar-agar due to its jelling properties can be used in place of
gelatin in deserts, jellies, aspics and fillings.
Agar-agar is particularly good with acid fruits. In making
aspics of savories there best to use something with citric acid
(e.g., as from lemon juice) or malic acid (e.g., as in apple
cider or malt vinegar).
Items like jellied salads and jellied cold pie recipes are
ideally suited to use agar-agar.
Agar-agar is available in flakes, powder, strands or bars
(kanten). It is not necessary to soak agar flakes or powder in
cold water before using, hence these are the most convenient
forms of agar-agar to purchase. Kanten bars, for example, need
to be broken into pieces, washed, wrung out and soaked in water
for 30 minutes -- something you can do while you're doing the
laundry, maybe even do at the same time in the same cold water
rise cycle :-) :-)
It will adequately set at room temperature but of course will set
more quickly in the refrigerate. Agar, however, will not set in
the presence of acetic acid found in wine and distilled vinegars,
not will it set properly if there is a high proportion of oxalic
acid as found in spinach, chocolate and rhubarb. One then uses
something called "IRISH MOSS" (i.e., carrageen).
Besides Irish moss, other substitutes for gelatin include algin,
kelp, plain old pectin from fruit (see recipe below for
"blueberry jell"), dextrins, locust bean gum, and cotton gum.
Incidentally, marshmallow were originally made from the root of
the marsh mallow plant.
GENERAL JELLO RECIPE
A substitute for "JELLO" is to use 1 Tbs. agar agar flakes
with 2 cups of liquid. To make it even more firm, one simply
adds more agar agar (up to 2 Tbs for 2 cups of liquid). One
then heats the liquid to a boil and then stir until all of it
is completely dissolved (about 5 - 8 minutes).
RECIPE FOR ORANGEJEL
This recipe is from Freya Dinshah's 23 WORLD VEGETARIAN CONGRESS
COOKBOOK, published by NAVS 1975 (North American Vegetarian
Society, 501 Old Harding Highway, Malaga, New Jersey 08328).
Place in a shallow dish:
orange sections from 1 orange
1 sliced pear
strawberries (about 8) or other similar amounts of acid
or sub-acid fruit in season (e.g., kiwi fruit)
Bring to a boil 3 cups of orange juice and then add 3 Tsp. of
agar-agar. Pour this liquid over the fruit. Place in a
refrigerate to set (about 3 hours).
RECIPE FOR BLUEBERRY JELL
This is also from Freya Dinshah's 23 WORLD VEGETARIAN CONGRESS
COOKBOOK (see above)
Ingredients:
6 cups of blueberries
30 pitted dates
3/2 bananas
some shredded coconut (optional)
Here is a good example of a simple fruit "jell" that uses the
natural pectin found in the fruit itself. Blueberries has
lots of pectin.
Blenderized blueberries and dates together to make a smooth
puree. In individual bowls or cups, place: 4 or 5 1/4 inch
slices of banana. Fill with blueberry date mixture. Leave
in a cool place. Decorate with shredded coconut prior to
serving
PECAN PIE (from JUDY BROWN'S GUIDE TO NATURAL FOODS COOKING,
1989.)
Step 1: Have ready a single crust Whole Wheat Pie Shell
mix together:
5/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt
mix together:
1/4 cup oil
1-3 Tbs cold soymilk or water
1 Tbs mirin (this is a popular Japanese rice cooking wine
made from rice "koji", which is a bacterial mold,
cooked with white rice and water. Look for naturally
brewed varieties with no sugar or corn sugar added.
Has a sweet flavor and can be added to dressings,
marinades, sauces, dips, soups and stir frys. Can
serve as a substitute for recipes calling for white
cooking wine.
Stir wet and dry ingredients together, shape into a ball.
Chill 15 minutes. Roll out between two pieces of waxed
paper. Remove top paper and fit crust into a 9" pie pan.
Prick bottom and sides of crust to prevent bubbles.
Prebaked in oven at 375 degrees for about 18-20 minutes.
Step 2
Roast in a oven for 15-20 minutes at 320 degrees
2 cups of pecans
Combine in a sauce pan:
3/4 cup rice syrup
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbs safflower oil
4 Tbs egg replacer, dissolved in 1/2 cup of water
Bring to a gentle boil, and then sprinkle with:
2 Tbs. agar agar flakes.
Stir constantly and simmer 5 minutes. Cool a little and then
pour into prebaked shell. Let sit for 15 minutes, sprinkle
with roasted pecans. Let cool another 45 minutes at room
temperature. Chill in refrigerate.
FRUIT KANTEN (6 servings)
(from JUDY BROWN'S GUIDE TO NATURAL FOODS COOKING, 1989.)
Have ready:
2 pears or apples, thinly sliced
Bring to a boil:
1 cup apple juice or pear juice
1 cup of water
Stir in and simmer 5 minutes:
2 Tbs agar-agar flakes
Add
1/8 tsp sea salt
Add fruit. Return to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Pour into a
mold or dessert dish and let gel at room temperature or
refrigerate for 45 minutes. To unmold, invert mold on plate
and leave at room temperature 1 hour before serving
Variations: Try with different fruits. Banana and orange
slices are good, or strawberries or kiwi. A nice addition is
1/3 cup raisins; plump them in 1/2 cup boiling water and
drain before adding. For a sweeter dessert, cook 1/4 cup
barley malt or 2 Tbs honey with the juice.
Happy vegetarian epulation,
ted