The governing liquid of legumes is nothing more than salt, water and vegetable protein that the product has released during cooking, but despite its harmless composition, it generates rejection among many people. Also called aquafaba, this viscous water can be consumed without any risk, and whether or not to dispose of it through the tap will depend on the recipe we want to prepare.
Before using it, you should know that not all preserves are the same. “If we are going to cook with aquafaba, we must choose a quality product and look on the label that does not have many preservatives,” explained Mireia Cervera, nutritionist at Teresa Carles Healthy Foods, in this report. The type of legume you preserve will also determine which dish we can add it to.
If the goal is to prepare a salad or to ensure that the chickpeas do not get stuck in the preparation at hand, it is best to rinse the legumes. On the other hand, if the idea is to make a stew, the aquafaba can be incorporated into the stew along with the legumes so that it gains consistency.
In the event that we are using some canned legumes to make a salad, and we rinse them, we can use the remaining aquafaba to make a vegan meringue. That’s right, this liquid is widely used in vegan baking because its texture is similar to that of egg white. It may also be interesting for people who are allergic to eggs.
Of course, Cervera recommends that if we use this liquid for baking, we choose a preserved chickpea or white bean legume, because its mild flavor will not alter that of the sweet we are preparing.
An aquafaba meringue can be used to top a lemon pie or prepare a chocolate mousse. It is whipped in the same way as the egg white, but we must spend about 15 minutes so that it is stable and fluffy. To make it easier to assemble, it is advisable to let the preserved liquid rest in the refrigerator and handle it cold.
Aquafaba can also be incorporated into savory recipes, such as creams and soups, and can be used to make a vegan mayonnaise. It’s as easy as blending it until it foams, adding mustard, lemon juice and rice vinegar. Blend again until the ingredients are integrated and gradually add the olive oil until you achieve the consistency of mayonnaise.
