Fruit and Vegetable pearl is a kind of jelly which can be used for garnishing desserts, chats or any snacks item. The process is called fruit/veg spherification. The pearls are prepared using agar agar and it’s a very simple technique to prepare this. This recipe has three different flavors of the pearls and you can try your own as well.
Ingredients
For Watermelon pearls
- 1 cup Watermelon
- 1/2 tsp Chaat masala powder
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/2 tsp Black salt
- 1/2 tsp Dry roasted cumin powder
- 2 tsp Agar agar powder Dissolved in to 4 tbsp water
- 2 cup Chilled oil Canola or vegetable oil
For Carrot pearls
- 1 Carrot Regular long ones available in store
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/4 tsp Green cardamom powder
- 1/4 cup Sugar or to taste
- 2 tsp Agar agar powder Dissolved in to 4 tbsp water
- 2 cup Chilled oil Canola or vegetable oil
For Beetroot & Pomegranate pearls
- 1/2 cup Beetroot puree
- 4 tbsp Fresh Pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/2 tsp Black salt
- 1/2 tsp Dry roasted cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp dry ginger powder
- 2 tsp Agar agar powder Dissolved into 4 tbsp water
- 2 cup Oil Canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
For Watermelon Pearls
- You will need a syringe to make the pearls. Keep oil in refrigerator over night before making pearls. Dissolve the agar agar into 4 tbsp water and keep it aside.
- Grind watermelon without any additional water in the grinder to make puree. In a pan, add 1/2 cup watermelon puree, 1/3 cup water, black salt, dry roasted cumin powder, chaat masala powder and mix all very well. Boil the mixture at medium heat. Once it starts boiling add dissolved agar agar into it.
- Stir the mixture continuously and boil it for another 30 sec. Turn off the heat. Whisk the mixture using a wire whisker.
- Wait for about 1 min to let the mixture cool down a bit. Pearls need to be processed in batches. For each batch, you can use 4 to 5 syringes of mixture. Wait for 30 seconds after the last syringe and then drain out the pearls from the oil. Do not leave the pearls into oil for too long. Fill the mixture in a syringe, then drop it into cold oil very carefully (drop by drop). You can adjust the size of the pearls either by using different type of syringes or carefully droping multiple drops on top of one another to make them bigger. The mixture may start getting settled in the jelly if the process takes longer time. So be careful with your time.
- Once you have finished all the pearls, rinse it using lukewarm water for about 30 secs then place it in cold water.
- Pearls are ready, take it out from the water and serve it as per your plan.
- Watermelon pearl is ready to garnish the chaats or desserts. Garnishing with these pearls makes the dish more appealing and beautiful.
For Carrot Pearls
- The process to make the pearls are exactly same as mentioned above. To make carrot pearl mixture, chop carrot and grind it fine to make a puree. Add all the remaining ingredients and boil in pan at medium heat. When it comes to boil, add dissolved agar agar into it.
- Stir it continuously for 30 secs and turn off the heat.
- Whisk the mixture nicely using a wire whisker. Let the mixture cool down for about 1 min. Now the mixture is ready to make the pearls. Follow the process mentioned above to make the pearls.
- Carrot pearls are ready to be served. Garnish your dessert with beautiful carrot pearls.
For Beetroot & Pomegranate Pearls
- Boil 1/2 a beetroot with little water in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Grind the boiled beetroot to make a puree. Make 4 tbsp of pomegranate juice. In a pan add all the ingredients as listed and boil it at medium heat. When it comes to a boil add dissolved agar agar into it. Stir it continuously for about 30 secs and turn off the heat.
- Whisk the mixture using a wire whisker. Let the mixture cool down a bit for about 1 min. Use the same process as mentioned above to make the pearls.
- Beetroot & pomegranate pearls are ready to be served.
- Garnish your food with these beautiful pearls.
Share this Recipe
Wow…great idea…Will surely try …looks so yum and perfect…
Thank you!
Awesome recipe! What is the shelf life of these pearls?
Thanks Swati, it may stay up to one week in refrigerator.