Eggs, Aquafaba and Equipment

If you have seen my Theme Reveal for the A2Z Challenge 2022, then you will know that I am writing about becoming Vegetarian gradually as a response to the crisis in food supply chains sparked by the pandemic and made worse by the WAR in Ukraine. As well, I am keeping to the theme I originally planned of food which can be eaten in its own right as well as becoming an ingredient in other dishes…

Eggs certainly qualify for this year’s theme, in addition to the many ways you can eat them in their own right – boiled, fried, poached, and scrambled (did I miss any methods?) – they are a vital ingredient in many other dishes – especially baked goods – cakes and enriched breads like brioche and we have already covered Bread and Butter Pudding! Vital – but not irreplaceable – there is an alternative! Eggs are a substantial source of protein for many Vegetarians, but if you take the next step and go Vegan, then eggs are a no-no. The alternative substance that can substitute, at least for egg-whites, is called Aquafaba, although Aquafava would be a better name since it is bean derived (fava). Aquafaba is the viscous water produced by cooking many kinds of beans but best made by cooking Chickpeas – yes, all that water you tip away if you use tinned chickpeas, can be used to make, say, Meringue! The discovery of this miraculous liquid was as recent as 2014 – a decade that saw a massive rise in sales of Hummus – one of the most famous dishes to be produced from chickpeas – no better time to discover such a valuable byproduct.

This is not an analogue imitation such as I decried in Analogues of Meat because you certainly can’t make a fried egg analogue from Aquafaba, but you can make a substitution of the functional values of egg white as an ingredient, plus you are adding protein that would otherwise be wasted – and if you are Vegan, every bit of protein counts…

In the week of writing this post (one week before A2Z launches!) – there was an episode of the BBC Food Programme on the subject of Beans which is well worth listening to if you are allowed to by the BBC location police…

Short and sweet today! The internet is full of recipes using Aquafaba and I am certainly not going to attempt to insult the intelligence of my esteemed readers by teaching them to cook eggs! I will just say, that if you are lucky enough to have a large garden, you might consider keeping a few chickens and gathering your own eggs…

Equipment for Vegetarian Cooking…

Do you need to re-equip your kitchen with all sorts of new gadgets in order to embrace a reduced meat diet? Short answer – no!
Yes, there are some things that tend to be found more in vegetarian circles, such as bean-sprouters, but even as a carnivore, you may have embraced a sprout salad alongside your steak, and if not, then before you rush out and buy a fancy, purpose-made sprouter, experiment with a large jar on its side – just until you are sure you enjoy the routine of sprouting and of course – the product. Nor do you need to get rid of your barbeque, because vegetables have been finding their way onto BQs in increasing numbers, and even high-end cheffy kitchens often include a BQ to get that caramelisation and smoky infused taste for meat and veg!

Steamers are also associated with vegetables and they are great for doing multiple vegetables, but I find that most useful when cooking the logistical nightmare that is Christmas Dinner (the non-vegetarian kind), whilst most of my vegetarian dishes, the vegetables are all mixed together – think Ratatouille or Stir-fry.
I will be covering several items of cooking equipment – we have already looked at the Dehydrator and old favourites like the Pressure Cooker will feature, as well as bones of contention such as the Microwave. If I get around to my long thought about book “The Gradual Vegetarian” – you can be sure I will only introduce special purchases of equipment well spaced out and only when a workaround cannot be found, but for now, this blog challenge is arranged alphabetically so let the equipment come as it may…