Agar Agar Koi Fish (Koi Jelly)

Want to "wow" your family with something sweet, beautiful and auspicious this Chinese New Year? Try making Koi Fish Jelly!

There’s a Chinese proverb that goes ‘nian nian you yu’ (年年有余) which means having things in surplus every year. As ‘yu’/ surplus sounds like ‘fish’, which symbolizes wealth and prosperity, the Chinese loves to serve fish on Chinese New Year. With this recipe, you can have fish for dessert too 😉

I absolutely enjoy making this jelly. Seeing how the fish come to life is so satisfying. It's like magic!

Ingredients:

• 9g Agar Powder
• 100g granulated sugar
• 650ml water
• raisin, for the fish eyes
• yellow and red food colouring
• Koi mould

Method:

Make the agar jelly: Add water, sugar and agar powder into a pot of water to boil, then lower to a simmer.

Stir until the sugar and agar powder has dissolved. Turn off the heat.

Next, take some of the agar liquid (about 3 tablespoons) into a small bowl. Using a tweezers, grab the raisin, dip it into the agar liquid, and then place the raisin into the eye of the koi mould (do this to both eyes).

Add yellow food colouring to the bowl of agar liquid and mix well. With a teaspoon, add a bit of the yellow agar mixture to the koi mould. It only takes about 1-2 minutes to harden.

Next, take again some agar liquid about 3 tablespoons into a small bowl. Add red colouring to the bowl and mix well. With a teaspoon, add a bit of the red agar mixture to the koi mould.

When it has hardened, gently pour the agar liquid into the mould. Allow it to set. Find some bowls or cups to hold the mould steady!.

Poke any air bubbles with a toothpick. Once set, place in the freezer or fridge to chill for an hour. Once it is firm, you can easily pop the koi jelly from the mould, or if needed use a toothpick for assistance.