Before you throw away the leftover liquid from your can of chickpeas, you should know that there’s so much you can do with it. The protein-rich liquid is making its way into vegan and vegetarian recipes as it’s a great plant-based replacement for egg whites.
There are two ways to get aquafaba. One is by draining canned chickpeas and reserving the liquid and the other is by cooking your own chickpeas and reserving the cooking liquid.
When it’s whipped, it has a texture similar to egg whites and because of its protein structure, it’s strong enough to be used as a substitute for traditional meringues. All you need to do to make aquafaba from a can of chickpeas is to add cream of tartar and whip it by hand or use a mixer like you would whip egg whites. With a mixer, it should take three to six minutes to make.
Aquafaba can be used as an egg white replacement for any recipe or it can be added to baking and cooking recipes like pancakes, waffles, cookies, meringues, or macaroons. With that being said, it won’t work as a substitution for egg whites in an omelet, in recipes that call for whole eggs, or as an egg wash for pastries.
Have you used aquafaba before are are you willing to give it a try?
