Many Singaporean kuehs and desserts come in myriad rainbow shades, and before the convenient little bottles of artificial colouring appeared on supermarket shelves, these were traditionally done with the herbs and flowers from your garden. Pandan for green, blue pea flowers for blue, for example.
In NONG’s little garden space, are pots of hibiscus plant. Their leaves and dried flowers are a gorgeous deep red, and when steeped in hot water, give a sharp-tasting crimson tea. I then thought of using it as a natural red food dye for one of my favourite coloured desserts– agar agar jellies.
For the agar-uninitiated, it’s a seaweed-derived, vegan substance similar to gelatin, but it sets much more easily at room temperature and gives a firmer bite. It’s quite often made with ready-coloured agar powder with the most basic instructions on the packet, so when I was little, I loved making and eating these simple treats with my sisters.
This is a more ‘grown-up’ and healthier version of my childhood agar agar– using plain unflavoured agar strands, and dyed a natural ruby shade using hibiscus flowers and leaves. The hibiscus also adds a touch of sharpness to the otherwise one-dimensionally sweet jellies. I added little scoops of pink dragonfruit, but you could leave these out or swap these out for your favourite fruit.
Naturally-coloured Hibiscus Agar Agar
Makes 20-30
Ingredients
14g agar strands
750ml water + More for soaking
1 small handful of dried hibiscus flowers
¼- ½ cup unrefined cane sugar (adjust to taste)
60g dragonfruit, cut into small cubes or scooped into balls with a melon scooper
You also need:
12 jelly molds (I use silicone mini cupcake molds, makes unmolding a breeze!)
Method
1. Roughly snip the strips of agar and submerge them in a basin of water, soaking for about 20 minutes till softened. After soaking, drain and squeeze out the excess water and snip into smaller pieces.
2. Meanwhile, steep the hibiscus into 750ml of hot water for 10-15 min. Drain.
3. Bring the hibiscus tea and agar strips to a boil, stirring until the agar strips have completely melted and you see no lumps. Add the sugar, tasting and adjusting till you’re happy with it.
4. Turn off the heat. Scoop out the agar liquid, dividing this mixture into the molds, filling up to but not more than halfway. Transfer the molds into the fridge and allow to set until just semi-firm. This will take only 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the pieces of dragonfruit, then pour the remaining agar liquid over to fill the mold. The agar liquid might appear lumpy after being left to cool off; simply warm the pot up again, stirring till the mixture melts into a smooth liquid again.
7. Refrigerate the molds or tray until the agar agar is firm and fully set.
8. To unmold, just run the toothpick around the edges and flip over; it should pop out easily, and, if you’ve followed my tips, in one piece. Serve slightly chilled.
Til next time,
XX Shu Han
Catch Shu Han cooking up a storm at www.mummyicancook.com