Aquafaba – Cooking with chickpea protein

Aquafaba; What is that I hear you ask? Aquafaba is the liquid that can be found preserving chickpeas. The water is full of chickpea protein and is wonderful, versatile and incredibly useful. However, when did chickpea water become popular as ‘a thing’?  I don’t recall my mum using or whipping this protein-based liquid up into a frenzy of light pointy meringues. Who discovered that aquafaba could create this miracle and act in such a manner that would allow the vegans among us to be able to enjoy such sweet rituals? Who knows!

Growing up and watching my mamma cook, she was and still is incredibly frugal, I was never allowed or encouraged to cook but I was always welcomed to watch and taste test as required from a distance.  Chickpea water, borlotti bean water, cannellini bean water and lentil water from the cans were always added into the sauce or dish she was preparing and making. That was it, it was never whisked nor was it wasted.  The liquid was added in a frugal, ‘not to waste manner’. The aquafaba from the chickpeas always had the ability to thicken the sauces, but we never knew why exactly, it was the protein.

I use chickpeas (and other tinned beans and pulses) all the time and in my local supermarket they are currently on offer at just 55p a tin, so as normal I have stocked up as they are one of my favourite store cupboard essentials.

Uses of chickpea water (aquafaba):

In pasta dough to replace egg of water.

Make meringues.

Thicken sauces and soups.

Use as an egg replacement.

Aquafaba contains chickpea protein and is true magic. The liquid requires patience, time, and gentle persistence and persuasion. Whipping the aquafaba can only be actioned with an electric whisk or with a standard whisk and a little elbow grease. They taste light and delicate and do not whatsoever taste of said chickpeas. Below is my easy to make vegan meringues. I use a touch of food colouring paste and painted the inside of my piping bag to create interest and summer beauty.

 

Vegan aquafaba meringues

Makes: 30 kisses

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

 

1 x 400g can chickpeas

100g caster sugar

Food colouring (optional)

 

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 90C (fan-assisted).
  2. Drain the chickpeas over a bowl.
  3. Reserve the chickpeas for another recipe, refer to carmelas-kitchen.com for some ideas.
  4. Using an electric whisk, beat the chickpea water in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
  5. Add the sugar a little bit at a time and continue to whisk until fluffy firm clouds have formed.
  6. Please note you will be whisking the aquafaba for 5-10 minutes, do not give up, be patient and ensure the meringue is whisked firm enough. It must hold a peak.
  7. Take a piping bag and pastry brush. Dip the pastry brush into the food colouring and paint stripes internally inside the piping bag.
  8. Spoon the meringue mixture into the piping bag and pipe small meringue kisses onto a lined baking tray and bake for 75 minutes.

 

With the chickpeas make these delicious fritters.

Chickpea fritters

Makes 16 walnut size chickpea balls, simply double the ingredients as required to prepare more for the freezer.

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained (retain the aquafaba and make the above kisses)

60g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (or a vegetarian substitute)

50g dried natural breadcrumbs

1 plump clove of garlic, peeled, halved

Salt & pepper to season, as required

Pinch of dried chilli

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

Small bunch parsley & basil, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. celery leaves

Olive oil (For frying)

 

  1. Place all the ingredients excluding the olive oil into a food processor and pulse for one minute.
  2. Scrape the contents into a clean bowl, season, stir and taste. If the mixture is a little too firm, add a tablespoon of the aquafaba (chickpea protein water from the tin), stir as required.
  3. Pinch sections of the mixture and roll them into balls the size approximately of a small walnut, push them into a flat pattie.
  4. Use all the mixture and pop the patties onto a tray and chill for 30 minutes in your fridge prior to cooking.
  5. Fry the patties off in a little olive oil until lightly coloured throughout. This will take approximately 10 minutes. At this point the chickpea patties can be cooled and frozen. I like to serve mine dropped into a sugo (tomato pasatta) with extra seasoning and soft fresh herbs.
  6. As an alternative you can pop the chickpea fritters onto a lined baking tray, spritz with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes at 190C (fan-assisted) or until golden.