Very Special Hydrogels Made with Seaweeds

The gelling agents agar, carrageenan, and alginate, which are made up of complex polysaccharides, are used extensively in the food industry, and in recent years have found their way into gourmet kitchens in Europe and North America. In Asian cooking, these gelling agents, especially agar, which is extracted from red algae, have been a staple for centuries. In Europe, carrageenan sourced, as indicated by its name, from the red alga carrageen (Chondrus crispus), has traditionally been used to thicken puddings.