Orange-Ginger Gel Sheets

These gel sheets are very versatile: cut into wide strips for a sushi-style wrapper, into squares as a pseudo wonton wrapper, or use round cutters to make flavored "crêpes" for sweet or savory fillings — or simply drape them over vegetables or stir-fried meat. This version uses an orange-and-ginger flavored liquid, but most fruit juices work well for sweet sheets, while curries or herb infusions suit savory dishes.

Ingredients

• 250 g orange juice, preferably fresh
• 1 piece (about 50 mm) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3.0 g agar (1.2%)
• 2 gelatin sheets, or 1/2 packet powdered gelatin (1.4%)

Method

1. If using sheet gelatin, soak it in cold water to bloom. If using powdered gelatin, combine it with 50 g water and 100 g orange juice and let bloom 5–10 minutes.
2. While the gelatin blooms, place the remaining orange juice, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a pot. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain and return the juice to the pot.
3. Sprinkle in the agar and mix well with an immersion blender. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and simmer 3–5 minutes; remove from heat.
4. Whisk in the bloomed gelatin (for powdered, whisk in the water-juice mixture; for sheet, squeeze out the water and whisk the sheets into the agar mixture) until dissolved.
5. Spoon the gel base onto a flat plastic surface, tipping it until the gel evenly coats the surface. Let the sheet set for a few minutes until ready to use.

Prep time: about 15 minutes; total active time: about 30 minutes.