Arrowroot is a starch obtained from the tubers of the tropical herb Maranta arundinacea.

Used primarily as a thickener, arrowroot are sometimes eaten whole, as a vegetable.

Pure arrowroot, like other pure starches, is a light, white powder. It is odorless when dry, but emits a peculiar odor when mixed with boiling water, and thickens into perfect jelly when cooking. It can also be used as a thickener for acidic foods, such as oriental sweet and sour sauce.

Arrowroot does not contain any gluten, which makes it suitable for a gluten-free diet.

The word is derived from the Arawak word Aru-aru, meaning “meals of meals”.

Known as "kanten" in Japanese, agar flakes are a variety of wild sea vegetable with strong bonding properties.

How to use it:
To use agar flakes in recipes, use 1 tbsp of agar flakes to every cup of liquid (or 250ml), but the measurements may vary from recipe to recipe.
The agar dissolves in the liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat, brought to a boil and then simmered until slightly thickened, about 5 to 7 min.
It is then chilled in the fridge until set.