1.) I bring the solution to a boil, whisk in the agar, then immediately turn off the heat while continuosly whisking. I then let the mixture cool slightly before working with it. This is what is recommended for working with agar agar for best results.
2.) This technique will work with larger pearls, however you would not have the liquid centre as you would with the calcium/alginate spherification as you are basically making larger gelatinous spheres. It’s an effective technique for the “caviar”, but for spheres with liquid centres the traditional method will have to be used.

Hope this helps!

1) Does the strained solution with the added agar need to be brought to a boil to activate it’s gellifying qualities?

2) Would doing larger pearls (1/2 teaspoon) work using the oil technique, or would I need to do traditional spherification with calcium and alginate?

Thank you in advanced, and very cool way of doing this without the more expensive ingredients!