Dazzling Dishes So Transparent, You Can See Through Them

July19,2025

A visually stunning jelly dessert made from mineral water and agar-agar, shaped like a raindrop. It’s virtually transparent and served with brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour.

Raindrop Cake (Japan)

Also known as dangmyeon (Korea) or fen si (China), these clear noodles are made from sweet potato starch or mung bean starch and become transparent once cooked — perfect in stir-fries or soups.

Glass Noodles (Korea/China)

These fresh spring rolls use translucent rice paper to wrap colorful vegetables, herbs, shrimp, and vermicelli noodles, offering a peek into the delicious contents inside.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Gỏi cuốn)

Made with a delicate, translucent wheat and tapioca flour skin, these dim sum shrimp dumplings are prized for their see-through beauty and juicy filling.

Crystal Dumplings (Har Gow) – China

This exotic dish features thinly sliced jellyfish that becomes glassy and translucent when marinated. Served cold with sesame oil, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Jellyfish Salad – China/Japan

Agar-agar-based jelly cubes that hold vibrant fruit pieces within — crystal clear and stunningly photogenic, often served as a summer dessert.

Agar Fruit Jelly Cubes

A modern take on traditional mooncakes using glutinous rice flour and clear jelly-like wrappers that reveal beautiful pastel fillings of fruit or beans.

Crystal Skin Mooncakes – China

These chewy, clear rice cakes are made from glutinous rice flour and water, sometimes filled with nuts or sweet bean paste, offering a glossy and almost glassy finish.

Transparent Tteok (Korean Rice Cake)

In avant-garde kitchens, clear consommés are turned into transparent “noodles” using gelatin or agar, creating an eye-catching fine dining element.

Clear Soup with Gelatin Noodles – Molecular Gastronomy