Agar powder

This is a great vegetarian alternative to gelatine, and is often found in the west as a powder or as flakes. In Asia, you can also get it in strips. I use powdered agar in this book, and it is the one I recommend you get, as it is the easiest to work with! Unlike gelatine, it must be boiled for at least 5 minutes to make sure it sets properly into a jelly.