Neon Agar-Agar Noodles (Printable Version)

Bright agar-agar noodles with neon hues, chilled and paired with a savory soy dipping sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Neon Agar-Agar Noodles

01 - 2 1/8 cups water
02 - 1/4 ounce agar-agar powder
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - Food-safe neon gel or liquid food coloring, assorted

→ Dipping Sauce

05 - 1/3 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 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)

# Directions:

01 - In a saucepan, combine water, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until agar-agar dissolves completely, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
02 - Divide the hot agar-agar liquid into separate bowls for each chosen color. Add one or two drops of neon food coloring to each and mix thoroughly.
03 - Using a syringe or squeeze bottle, pipe the colored agar mixture into a bowl of ice water to form noodle-like strands. Let firm for 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, pour mixture into a flat tray, let set, then slice into thin noodles with a sharp knife.
04 - Collect the noodles, rinse briefly with cold water, drain well, and refrigerate until serving.
05 - Whisk together soy sauce (or tamari), rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in scallion slices and sesame seeds if using.
06 - Arrange chilled neon agar-agar noodles in small bundles, garnish with microgreens or edible flowers if desired, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's pure theater on a plate—guests genuinely stop and ask what they're looking at before tasting.
  • The bouncy texture is addictive in a way regular noodles just aren't, with this delicate snap that catches you off guard.
  • You can make them hours ahead, so there's zero stress when people arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath—the agar needs that temperature shock to set properly, or you'll end up with weird, floppy strands that fall apart.
  • Gel food coloring is your friend here; liquid dyes will make your noodle mixture too thin and the colors will never be as vivid.
03 -
  • Keep your ice bath really cold and have it ready before you start piping—timing matters, and you want that quick set.
  • A squeeze bottle with a fine tip gives you way more control than a syringe and makes the whole process feel less stressful.
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