Agar-agar Grass Jelly Pudding

This Agar-agar Grass Jelly Pudding is so refreshing and easy to make.

Grass Jelly is a herbal jelly made from a plant known as Chinese Mesona. In East and South East Asia, it is often it is paired with chilled sweets drinks and desserts. Grass Jelly has a slightly bitter taste and the texture is like firm, crunchy jello. The hint of bitterness from the grass jelly balances very well with sweet soya milk agar-agar pudding .

Cooking Tips:

• Mix the agar-agar powder, sugar and water well before cooking to prevent the jelly from forming clumps while cooking.
• While cooking, mix often so that the jelly powder does not clumping.
• Before pouring in the next layer of agar-agar liquid, make sure the first layer do NOT completely set. That is firm. If it sets, the next layer will not gel well.
• When pouring in the next layer, pour gently at the corner, side so that the it doesn’t pierce through the next layer.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Agar-agar?

Agar-agar is extracted from seaweed and is plant-based. It works like gelatin and is often used to make jelly, especially in Asia. Being plant based, it has become very popular amongst vegetarians or vegans as a substitute for gelatin. It is odorless and does not contribute much taste to the jelly, perhaps just a slight hint of fragrance.

Agar-agar comes in powder form or strips. You can substitute agar-agar powder with agar-agar strips if preferred.

My jelly texture is too soft/firm, can I change the texture?

Yes, you can. The texture of the jelly is based on the ratio of water/liquid to agar-agar powder. So if you prefer softer texture, reduce the jelly powder or vice versa.

Why does my jelly not set?

Not enough agar-agar powder used. Different brand of jelly powder have different liquid to agar-agar powder ratio. Generally the ratio is 1g powder = 100ml liquid but may differ from brand to brand.

Agar-agar starts to activate its gelling properties when the liquid is heated above 80-90°C. So it is necessary to make sure the liquid is cooked until it is boiling. Then leave to cool to room temperature. It will start to solidify below 40°C.

What is the texture of agar-agar?

Agar-agar texture is more stiff compared to gelatin. Hence it is not so jiggly and springy.

Troubleshooting – My jelly did not set, what can I do about it?

Step 1 – If it is your first time trying the recipe there is a test you can do. Before pouring into the mold, just scoop up a small portion of the liquid into a small saucer. Place it into the fridge to set. It should take about less than 5 minutes. Check the texture of the jelly. If you are happy with it, the proceed to pour into the mold. If it did not set, add more jelly powder (before adding the powder, dilute it in some room temperature water first), pour into the existing jelly liquid and heat up the liquid again. Redo the test and once you are happy with the texture, pour into the mould

Vice versa, if you find the texture of the jelly is too stiff/hard, add more water into the existing jelly liquid and heat up the liquid again. Redo the test and once you are happy with the texture, pour into the mould

Step 2 – If you have already poured into the mold and eventually find out that it did not set. Don’t throw it away! You can always fix it. Just simply place the liquid into a pot, add jelly powder, mix well and reheat again. Then repeat the above step 1 to test the jelly.

Agar-Agar Grass Jelly Pudding | 凉粉燕菜果冻布丁

Yield: 7-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

This Agar-agar Grass Jelly Pudding is so refreshing and easy to make. Grass Jelly is a herbal jelly made from a plant known as Chinese Mesona. In East and South East Asia, it is often it is paired with chilled sweets drinks and desserts. Grass Jelly has a slightly bitter taste and the texture is like firm, crunchy jello. The hint of bitterness from the grass jelly balances very well with sweet soya milk agar-agar pudding .

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Ingredients

• 200 grams grass jelly (unsweetened) 凉粉，无糖 200克
• 10 grams agar-agar powder 燕菜粉 10克
• 100 grams white sugar 白糖 100克
• 100 grams brown sugar 红糖 100克
• 300 ml water, room temperature 水，室温度 300毫升
• 800 ml soya milk (unsweetened) 豆浆， 无糖 800毫升
• 3-4 pandan leaves 香兰叶 2-4片

Instructions

1. Cut the grass jelly into desired shapes and sizes
2. In a pot add the agar-agar powder, sugar, water, pandan leaves. Mix well. In low heat, bring to a boil. Mix occasionally to avoid any lumps.
3. Reduce to lowest heat, add soya milk. Mix on low heat until you the big transparent pieces are less visible.
4. Remove pandan leaves. Pour into mold.
5. Let it cool down slightly until it starts to thicken. Then add the grass jelly. If you add the grass jelly when it is hot, the grass jelly will stain the white pudding. Gently distribute the grass jelly. If not gentle, there will be a lot of bubbles.
6. Chill in the fridge. Serve cold.

Notes

1. Mix the agar-agar powder, sugar and water well before cooking to avoid lumps from forming.
2. While cooking, mix occasionally to avoid lumps from forming.
3. Before adding the grass jelly, wait for the soya milk pudding cool down slightly until it starts to thicken. If you add the grass jelly when it is hot, the grass jelly will stain the white pudding.
4. Gently distribute the grass jelly. If not gentle, there will be a lot of bubbles.