Post Punk Kitchen Forum

hello, recipe on page 168 (continued on page after photo) of 'vegan diner'

i would love to make the great smoky mountain cheeze however i do not have 2 tsp agar powder. i will not be able to go to the natural foods store to get agar powder or agar flakes -- admittedly they are way too pricey and in being vegan since the summer, this is the first recipe i've come across that i've wanted to make that calls for agar powder (or directions on how to sub agar flakes).

obviously julie included the ingredient for a reason, but i'm wondering if anyone has made this recipe and left out the agar powder and still had good results, or just subbed something else???

hhhmmm.... i think i might have found my answer here, but am welcome to any other ideas.....

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23890

I guess you will just have to try it and let us know how it goes. I love that recipe it's so delicious!

it'll still be tasty as a mac n cheese sauce.

it'll still be tasty as a mac n cheese sauce.

I agree with ijdi, it's not going to firm up at all. You would be better off making the mac&cheese sauce in the book. The agar acts similarly to gelatin.

also, agar powder is really cheap at Asian markets, if you have one near you.

well i do have an asian market, and the last time i bought fresh lo mein noodles they made me ill. don't plan on going back there anytime soon :(

well i double checked at Earth Fare and the flakes were I think $7.99.... way too pricey for me..... the clerk suggested that I sub guar gum (??) anyone know anything about that??

don't listen to the clerk! also, agar flakes kind of suck. they are really hard to work with and don't dissolve very easily.
If you can't brave the asian market for agar powder which looks like this, then maybe you can order some online. Any other type of thickener is only going to give you cheese pudding. also guar gum is more expensive than agar.

agreed, i have read in multiple places that the powder is superior to the flakes. don't you worry ;) i left the flakes behind and did not buy guar gum either ;)

i have a hankering to try soy curls, maybe the food fight grocery also sells agar agar powder? we'll see...... thanks for the advice!