What is Aquafaba?

Literally translated to "water" and "bean", aquafaba is the viscous water in which beans have been cooked in.

Thanks to the significant protein content in legume seeds such as chickpeas and garbanzo beans, aquafaba is a great vegan egg substitute. 

As the liquid is full of starch, its composition makes it useful for thickening, binding, emulsifying, and foaming.

There are two ways of obtaining aquafaba. 

The first is the simplest and most convenient. All you have to do is buy a can of legumes and use the juice straight out of the can.

This method is also foolproof because you already have the right consistency to work with. 

The second method is to make it on your own. For the right viscosity, the chickpeas should be soaked overnight and then cooked in their soaking water. Any method of cooking it works just as well, whether its boiling, steaming or pressure cooking. 

This method seems simple enough but if the liquid is too watery, you have to reduce it to achieve the runny egg white consistency. 

When the recipe calls for whipped egg whites, it is preferable to use a stand mixer or an electric stand mixer. It generally takes about 10 minutes to achieve medium stiff peaks.

Once its added to the recipe and cooked, it leaves no smell whatsover. 

To substitute it for egg, simply follow the rule of using 1 tablespoon for one yolk, 2 tablespoons. for one white, and 3 tablespoon for one whole egg. 

You can use it in practically everything where egg is called for. Macarons, marshmallows, cocktails, mayonnaise, or as a substitute for dairy, you name it!