Neon Agar-Agar Noodle Clouds (Print Version)

Bright agar-agar noodles served chilled with a flavorful soy-based dipping sauce and colorful garnish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Neon Agar-Agar Noodles

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

→ Dipping Sauce

05 - 0.33 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:

01 - Combine 2 cups water, agar-agar powder, and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until fully dissolved and boiling, about 2-3 minutes.
02 - Remove from heat and pour liquid into separate bowls for each color. Add a few drops of food coloring per bowl and mix thoroughly.
03 - Use a syringe or squeeze bottle to pipe colored agar mixture into a bowl of ice water, creating noodle-like strands. Let them set for 1-2 minutes until firm. Alternatively, pour mixture into a flat tray, allow to set, then slice thinly to form noodles.
04 - Collect noodles, rinse briefly with cold water, drain well, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in finely sliced scallion and optional toasted sesame seeds.
06 - Plate chilled neon agar-agar noodles in small bundles. Garnish with microgreens or edible flowers if desired, and serve alongside dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The noodles have a delightfully bouncy, almost playful texture that's completely different from anything else on your table.
  • It's naturally vegan and can be gluten-free with one simple swap, so you're not leaving anyone out.
  • The whole thing takes barely an hour, and most of that is chilling time while you do other things.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people pull out their phones and ask how you even made this.
02 -
  • Agar-agar sets at room temperature, not cold temperature like gelatin does, so if you're not piping it immediately into ice water, it will start to firm up in your bowl and become impossible to work with.
  • Food coloring intensity matters—a tiny drop looks pale at first but becomes vivid once cooled, and if you overdo it, the sauce will taste faintly of coloring, which is not pleasant.
  • The texture of these noodles depends on how thin you make them; thicker strands will be bouncier and harder to eat with chopsticks, while thinner ones will be more delicate and fun to twirl.
03 -
  • If your agar mixture starts to set before you finish piping, quickly reheat it over low heat until it's liquid again—don't let it boil, just warm it back through.
  • The ice water bath is non-negotiable; room temperature water won't set the noodles fast enough, and you'll end up with floppy strands instead of those satisfying bouncy clouds.
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