What is agar and what is it for?

What is agar? It is this culinary question that we will devote to today's article. After all, quite a large number of housewives have heard such a name, but far from each of them can give him a clear definition.

What is agar?

Such a product is a very strong gelatinous substance. By its properties, it is several dozen times superior to ordinary gelatin. It should be noted that this ingredient is used not only in cooking for the preparation of various confectionery products and dishes such as jellies, but also as a mild and effective laxative.

How to get?

What is agar, we found out. Now I want to talk about how and what it produces. This product, consisting of a mixture of agaropectin and agarose polysaccharides, is obtained by extraction from brown and red algae (Gracilaria, Phyllophora, Ceramium, Gelidium, etc.) that grow in the Black and White Seas, as well as in the Pacific Ocean.

Appearance

Typically, such a product is sold as a whitish-yellow powder or in the form of plates. In our country agar, the photo of which you can see in this article, is rightly considered one of the most powerful plant substitutes for gelatin. It is worth noting that such an ingredient when mixed with hot water forms a rather dense jelly. It is this property that makes food agar indispensable in confectionery production.

By the way, this product is divided into two classes, which differ only in the way they are extracted. So, on the shelves of shops you can find a dark yellow powder and a light (or, as it is called, the highest grade white).

Physical properties

Finding out what agar is, I want to note that it is quite widespread and is used in many areas of human activity. Such a product has earned this product due to its unusual physical and chemical properties. So, at a temperature of 90-100 degrees it completely dissolves. If it is cooled to 40 units, the resulting substance is converted to a jelly mass. With complete cooling, this product turns into a dense and elastic jelly.

By the way, one can not ignore the fact that the diluted plant powder is a thermo-reversible gel. Thus, it can be stated with confidence that the transition from one state (liquid) to another (dense) and vice versa can be carried out repeatedly. The presented property makes this product especially popular in the food industry.

Beneficial features

Now you know what agar-agar is. In cooking it is used very often. And it's no accident, because such a product is very useful for the body. According to experts, it is rich in elements such as calcium, iron and iodine. In addition, products in which diluted agar-agar is added contribute to the removal of toxins from the human body, and also significantly improve the work of the liver and gallbladder and strengthen cartilage and ligament tissues.

It should also be noted that such a natural ingredient does not contain a large number of calories. In this regard, it is often used in various diets for rapid weight loss. As for cooking, this kind of gel is almost always used for making marmalade, jelly and jelly.

How to grow agar-agar?

In cooking, agar-agar is used more often than in medicine or microbiology. Moreover, it is preferred to use it to create confectionery products. In fact, unlike usual instant gelatin, it has no taste, no smell, no color (but only if you take a light product).

It is also worth noting that the popularity of agar-agar in the food industry is also due to the fact that it has antibacterial properties. Thanks to them, the dishes into which it is added, are able to be stored for a longer period than those prepared using conventional gelatin.

How to grow agar-agar? Before making confectionery and other food products, this product should be diluted with water. After all, in powdered or lamellar form, he is not able to show those qualities and properties, thanks to which he gained great popularity in cooking. To do this, you need to pour the required amount of purchased product into a small bowl, and then pour a warm liquid into the same container. It can be ordinary water, meat broth, and fruit juice.

To achieve the desired consistency of the finished product, agar-agar is recommended for use in the following proportions: one dessert spoon per one glass of liquid. After that, the mixture should be left for a quarter of an hour for swelling. Further, a metal bowl with volumetric jelly-like mass is required to be placed on a weak fire and, regularly mixing, bring the contents to a boil.

When the swollen powder or plates completely dissolve under the influence of high temperatures, the dishes must be removed from the plate, and the mass must be filtered through a fine strainer. This procedure is necessary in order to accidentally get into the product of the particles were not in the finished dish. After that, the warm liquid with agar-agar should be combined with all the ingredients, thoroughly mixed, poured into pre-prepared molds, and then completely cooled at room temperature or in a refrigerator.

It should be noted that all dishes prepared using such a product have a special elasticity and density. If you use unusual forms to create sweet products, you will get the most original and beautiful desserts, which can be proudly presented to the festive table.