Neon Agar-Agar Noodle Clouds (Printable Version)

Bright agar-agar noodles with playful colors, served chilled alongside a flavorful soy dip.

# What You Need:

→ Neon Agar-Agar Noodles

01 - 2 1/8 cups water
02 - 0.25 oz agar-agar powder
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - Food coloring, assorted neon colors, gel or liquid, food-safe

→ Dipping Sauce

05 - 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free option
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

# How To Make:

01 - In a saucepan, combine water, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until the agar-agar is fully dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Remove from heat and divide the liquid evenly into separate bowls, one for each color desired. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring to each and mix thoroughly.
03 - Use a syringe or squeeze bottle to pipe the colored agar mixtures into a bowl of ice water, creating noodle-like strands. Let firm for 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, pour into a shallow tray, allow to set, then cut into thin noodles with a sharp knife.
04 - Collect the noodles, rinse briefly under cold water, drain well, then refrigerate until serving.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Stir in scallions and optional toasted sesame seeds.
06 - Arrange chilled agar-agar noodles in small bundles on serving dishes. Garnish optionally with microgreens or edible flowers. Serve alongside the dipping sauce.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • They're completely show-stopping—guests always ask what you did to make noodles glow like that.
  • The bouncy texture is genuinely addictive and totally different from anything you've eaten before.
  • You control the whole experience, from colors to sauce flavors, so every batch feels personalized.
02 -
  • Agar-agar sets as it cools, not with heat, so your ice water bath is non-negotiable—skip it and you'll just have colored liquid.
  • Food coloring amounts matter more than you'd think; start with one tiny drop and build up, because neon colors can quickly turn into something that looks like Easter eggs instead of gourmet noodles.
  • The dipping sauce's sugar needs to fully dissolve into the soy mixture or you'll get a grainy texture that feels off on your tongue.
03 -
  • If your syringe keeps clogging, fill it with hot agar mixture right when you remove the pot from heat—waiting makes it start to set too early.
  • The ice water bath needs to stay cold; if it gets warm, your noodles won't set properly, so swap out the water halfway through if you're making a large batch.
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