• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • My Story
    • Portfolio
    • Subscribe!
    • Privacy policy
  • Recipes
    • By Diet
      • Vegetarian
      • Vegan
      • Gluten-free
    • By Series
      • 5 Ingredients or less
      • Table for two
      • BAKED not Fried
      • On-screen Food
    • By Meal
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Lunch/Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Sauces and curry
      • Drinks & Beverages
      • Snacks
      • Dips and Sides
  • Resources
    • For Bloggers
    • Travelogue
    • Kitchen Wisdom
  • Perspective
  • Green Life
  • Shop
  • Contact

Love is in my Tummy

Plant-based flavor

May 5, 2016 By Tina Dawson 14 Comments

Beet Gel | Beetroot Masala Ketchup

Beet Gel Ketchup

 I still can’t believe how incredibly easy and awesome this was. Ever since the Mango Coconut Jelly post went viral, I’ve been looking for different ways to use agar agar a little bit more. Plus, I bought a lot of the stuff for that post, and I must find a way to use them to their best advantage.

Until now, I had only heard of Agar agar being used excessively in Asian desserts and by vegans who don’t want to use gelatin.

Here’s a little surprise – we are all probably eating a lot more of this stuff than we know. If you’ve ever eaten a beautifully plated meal in a fancy restaurant where the sauce is drawn out in intricate patterns on the plate, chances are, it was either gelled with Agar Agar or a low-acyl gellan gum.

I have to confess here – I am was not a huge beet fan. Except for Beetroot Halwa (which I absolutely adore), I cannot imagine consuming beets in any savoury way. That all changed when I tried my hand at this Spicy Masala Beet Gel.

Restaurant quality results, doled straight from a domestic kitchen.

You first start with some gorgeous beetroot. I used about 2 medium sized ones, and they usually vary in sizes and juice content, so keep that in mind. Buy an extra, just in case. Wash, peel and chop them up.

Chopped Beetroots Juice them real good,and unless you are using industrial quality juicers, you’ll need a little water to help move it along a lot easier. How gorgeous is this blood red juice??!!!

Beet Juice 1024px

You cook the juice over low-medium heat just for a bit. The heat will help dissolve and ‘activate’ the gelling agent (Agar agar). I added a few spices to kick it up a notch, but that’s totally optional.

Cool the beet gel over an ice bath and refrigerate to speed things along until it is firmed up nicely.

Cooling Beet Juice 1024px

Witness the gelling progress, ladies and gents. It is so much fun!

Beet Gel Cooled 1024px

Only thing left to do, is blend the firm gel until you get a smooth, creamy gel pureé.

So how does it taste? Earthy beetroot gets an earthier masala kick and the gel just slides down your tongue like satin.

Thanks to Chef Steps whose videos inspire this and me to do more than what I think I can.

Beet Gel 1024px

Notes:

You can buy Agar Agar and Xanthan Gum from Amazon.

Beetroot Masala Gel Ketchup

Created by Tina Dawson on May 12, 2016

Beet Gel Ketchup

  • Prep Time:30m
  • Cook Time:10m
  • Total Time:40m
  • Serves: 6
  • Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 500 g of beet juice (from about 400gms of chopped beetroot)
  • 1 c water (optional)
  • Salt to taste (~5gms)

Gelling agents

  • 5 g agar agar powder
  • 1/2 g Xanthan gum

Optional spices

  • 1 star anise
  • 1/2 stick of cinnamon
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • 1/4 tsp. garam masala

Instructions

  1. Blend the chopped beetroot with a little water and filter the juice. Do not throw away the pulp, make beetroot pudding instead (recipe coming up next!).
  2. In a medium pan, over low-medium heat, cook the beet juice with spices (anise, cinnamon, chillies and garam masala) with until it comes to a simmer and smells a little less raw.
  3. In the meantime, mix together the Agar agar, Xanthan gum and salt.
  4. Raise heat to medium to let the beet juice come to a rolling boil, and whisk in the dry ingredients.
  5. As it is boiling, prepare an ice bath (bowl of ice with another small bowl sitting on the ice)
  6. Pour the hot beetroot juice through a sieve into a bowl set over an ice bath. Discard the whole spices caught in the sieve.
  7. Refrigerate and let it firm up completely.
  8. Blend the cool, firm jelly till pureéd completely. Strain over a sieve.
Source: Adapted from Chef Steps
  • Print
Beet Gel Ketchup Pin 2

** This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I personally love and use. **

You might also like

  • Oven Roasted Chana DalOven Roasted Chana Dal
  • Oven Roasted Moong Dal | Mung BeansOven Roasted Moong Dal | Mung Beans
  • Vegan Coconut CurryVegan Coconut Curry
  • Pumpkin Halwa Pastry TartsPumpkin Halwa Pastry Tarts
  • Sesame & Jaggery No Churn Ice-CreamSesame & Jaggery No Churn Ice-Cream
  • Coconut Kinako DangoCoconut Kinako Dango

Filed Under: 5 Ingredients or less, All Recipes, Cuisines, Dips and Sides, Indian, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: 5 ingredients or less, agar agar, beet, beetroot, Fillings and frostings, Indian, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian, xanthan gum

Previous Post: « Microwave Fudge Brownie in a mug
Next Post: Beetroot pudding | Rescue Beet pudding »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kanakapriya says

    November 28, 2020 at 11:17 am

    Hi! Awesome tips on using agar agar.. I came to this pure from that page.. Why xanthan gum? My son is undergoing chemo and very very fussy about food. I set coconut milk into jellies for him and now thanks to you I will make interesting this from the beets too.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      December 2, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      Xantham gum is a thickener, but I think you can omit it in this recipe without too much difference. I hope your son feels better Kanakapriya! My dad went through chemo, and I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be for a child. Sending you much love! If there’s anything I can help with (recipes), please let me know!

      Reply
  2. Peter @ Feed Your Soul Too says

    May 5, 2016 at 6:27 am

    So cool. Such a pretty plate.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      May 5, 2016 at 7:21 am

      Thanks Peter!

      Reply
  3. Willow Moon says

    May 5, 2016 at 5:42 am

    I do not eat beets very often, but this looks like a perfect way to incorporate them into my diet. Plus, I love that it’s vegan! Pinning for later.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      May 5, 2016 at 7:20 am

      Thanks so much Willow! Beets are very good for you, you must give it a try!

      Reply
  4. Tamara Andersen says

    May 5, 2016 at 5:02 am

    I’m in love with this! I have not heard of agar agar, but I adore anything made with beets, and I love to make my own condiments. 🙂 I’m pinning and sharing this one Tina!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      May 5, 2016 at 7:18 am

      Tamara, agar agar is vegan gelatin. You’ll find it in all asian/indian grocery stores for super super cheap!

      Reply
  5. Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday says

    May 5, 2016 at 5:02 am

    What a gorgeous plate! I love beetroots but have never thought of making a gel with it. What a great idea!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      May 5, 2016 at 7:17 am

      Thanks so much Jennifer! Do try it!

      Reply
  6. April Anderson says

    May 5, 2016 at 3:52 am

    I love beets, but I’m thinking I need to up my game – that plate is beautiful! I never thought about how restaurants are able to ?paint? the plates with sauces without it running everywhere – who knew it was so simple 🙂

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      May 5, 2016 at 4:58 am

      Thanks so much April! I too was so taken aback by how possible this was to make in a domestic kitchen!

      Reply
    • Rose says

      April 30, 2020 at 5:38 am

      Hi it looks fantastic. How did you make the beet root plated like that on the plate? I often use a small sauce pan to “flatten” the sauce but never achieved the “tree looking” outcome. Any advice?

      Reply
      • Tina Dawson says

        April 30, 2020 at 9:41 am

        That is exactly how I did that – I used a side plate to flatten a dollop of the sauce!

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Tina Dawson Profile Picture

Hi! I'm Tina - the human behind all the content you see on this blog. Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I create flavorful and unique plant-based recipes.

Read More…

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe to Email Newsletter

5 Ingredients or Less Ebook Cover

The Blank Canvas Store - Food Photography Backgrounds and Props Store

BUY CUSTOM FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BACKGROUNDS + PROPS

Don’t Miss These!

VEGAN Pumpkin Shaped Rolls

VEGAN Pumpkin Shaped Rolls

Caramelised Onions in a plate

Caramelized Onions

VEGAN Iced Mocha Latte on wooden plate with coffee beans strewn on table

VEGAN Iced Mocha Latte

Raspberry Iced Tea

Raspberry Iced Tea

Dairy-free Mocha Hazelnut Cappuccino

[V] Mocha Hazelnut Cappuccino

Puff Pastry Voodoo dolls on a table with Halloween things

Puff pastry Voodoo Dolls

Copyright © 2023 · LOVEISINMYTUMMY · PRIVACY POLICY · CONTACT · StudioPress Themes

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Learn More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT