Vegetarian Option for Gelatine?

Gelatin is one of the most commonly used thickeners especially in bakeshops. It is a natural product from collagen, an animal protein. To use gelatin, two step process is followed, namely: “blooming” or softening of gelatin in cold water without melting it, and dissolution in hot liquid. It is available in two forms: granulated gelatin and sheet or leaf gelatin

Sheet or Leaf Gelatin – Most of the time derived from cow; Average weight is 1/10 oz or 3 grams per sheet; Preferred over granulated gelatin because of lack of flavor and color; Tends to dissolve more readily and evenly; has a longer shelf life; Each sheet can only absorb 1/2 oz of water

Powdered or Granulated Gelatin – Most of the time derived from pig; Average weight of 1 tsp is 1/10 oz; Should be softened in water in 5x its weight; Should also be heated gently to dissolve; amount of water needed to dissolve gelatin should always be specified in the recipe, especially when using granulated gelatin, as this may contribute to scaling issues. Any type of gelatin is NOT vegetarian-friendly.

Gelatin Substitutes for Vegetarians
1-Kosher Gelatin - comes from fish bones

2-Agar-agar comes from seaweed.
It is used widely in asian cuisine but must be used sparingly. It has 9x tightening power more than ordinary gelatin

3-Carageena - comes from moss

4-Pectin- also an alternative stabilizer but is heat activated. This may be used for heated / cooked products such as pies. It may not work however with souffle as it becomes too hot

There are a lot of other stabilizers in the market nowadays but they may not be natural.