• The Mandarin term “燕菜” originated from Chinese dialects such as Hokkien and Teochew. In Singapore, the term appeared as early as 1925, in Nanyang Siang Pau.
• Agar is a type of plant gelatin which, upon cooling after dissolving in hot water, can remain solid at room temperature, even in the tropics.
• Agar-agar is a common ingredient used in the cuisines of Southeast Asia. The word “agar” comes from Malay.
• In Japan, the culinary use of agar is believed to have been discovered by accident in 1658 by Tarozaemon Mino, a hotel owner, who found a pile of discarded seaweed products that had coagulating properties and used them as food ingredients. As the discovery was made in winter, agar became known in Japan as “寒天” (kanten; literally, “cold weather”).
• In Chinese cuisine, agar’s resemblance to bird’s nest after being broken up into smaller pieces makes it a good plant-based substitute for the delicacy. 
• In Singapore, agar is commonly used to make desserts, such as chilled fruit jelly.

琼脂 (Mainland China), 石花胶 (Mainland China), 冻粉 (Mainland China), 洋粉 (Mainland China), 洋菜 (Taiwan), 大菜 (Hong Kong)

In the past, agar was also known in Chinese as “东洋菜”.