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Originally developed in the 1990s to improve production of surimi—you know, crab with a k—Activa binds portions of high-protein food (thus the unfortunate nickname “meat glue”). Ajinomoto, the Japanese company responsible for it, developed Activa to form inexpensive pollock into something that resembles the much-more-desirable crab and lobster. Here at ChefSteps, we take already-desirable foods, like ribeye and fresh salmon, and use Activa to upgrade the eating experience.Although different versions contain secondary ingredients to improve performance, they all contain the enzyme transglutaminase, or TG for short. TG is key because it forms chemical cross-links between the amino acids in proteins so that they bind to one another. Specifically, it helps form a strong covalent bond by linking glutamine and lysine, two amino acids commonly found in proteins.In all likelihood, Activa RM will meet all your food-binding needs, and it’s the only one you need for the recipes here. Read on for a crash course in the magical powder, then get gluing yourself with our techniques for a snappy-textured <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/hi-tech-veggie-burger">veggie burger</a>, elegant <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/fish-roulade">fish roulade</a>, and one kickass <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/reconstructed-roast">reconstructed steak</a>.