Fish pond jellies recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup water
• 1 tsp powdered agar
• Red food coloring

• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp powdered agar
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp matcha powder
• 1 small can cooked mixed beans, drained and rinsed (like white beans and red kidney beans)

• 2¼ cups water
• 3 tsp powdered agar
• 3 cups sugar
• 1½ Tbsp clear corn syrup
• 4½ Tbsp clear ume shu (plum wine)

To make the Fish
1. Pour the water, milk, and powdered agar into a small pot, and mix together, dissolving the agar-agar. Bring to a boil, and then bring it down to low heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow it to slightly cool in the pot.
2. Divide the mixture into 2 small containers. Color one half of the milk red with food coloring. Drop small droplets of the red milk into the white milk and gently swirl it around to create a marble effect.
3. Place the container in the fridge until the jelly is fully set, then remove the jelly from the container and cut it into fish shapes using a knife or small cookie cutter.
To make the Base of the Pond
4. Pour the water and agar-agar into a pot, and mix together. Set to high, and dissolve the agar-agar as the water heats up. When it reaches a boil, bring the heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. After simmering, add and completely dissolve the sugar and matcha powder.
5. Pour the majority of the jelly into a 7 x 4-inch container. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons or so into a small dish. Place both dishes into the fridge until fully set.
6. Keep the larger amount of jelly in the dish, but remove the jelly from the small dish. Slice it into leaves and lily pads and set aside. Make small, shallow slices across the entire surface. This creates a bit of texture, so that the pond water has something to grip to when we pour it on top. Set aside.
To make the Pond Water
7. Pour the water and agar-agar into a pot, and mix together. Set to high, and dissolve the agar-agar as the water heats up. When it reaches a boil, bring the heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. After simmering, add and completely dissolve the sugar, corn syrup, and ume shu (plum wine). Allow the jelly to cool for 2 minutes.
8. Pour about 1⁄3 of the water jelly into the container with the matcha jelly. Arrange the drained and rinsed beans inside the container to look like stones on the bottom of the pond. When the jelly has almost set (3 to 5 minutes), pour in another 1⁄3 of the jelly. Add the fish and the leaves and lily pads. Once the jelly has almost set (3 to 5 minutes), pour in the remaining jelly. Place the jelly in the fridge until completely set, about 20 minutes.
9. Carefully slide the jelly out of the container, slice into as many slices as desired, and enjoy!