Aquafaba, so simple and so useful

Do you know what aquafaba is? Aquafaba is the cooking water from chickpeas that many people still throw away, even though it has enormous potential. With this liquid, you can make whipped cream, mousse, meringue, mayonnaise, pancakes and much more. It sounds simple — and it really is — and the biggest difference lies in knowing how to use what would normally be discarded.

This cooking water from legumes, especially chickpeas, has a surprising property: it behaves like egg white. When whipped with sugar and a few drops of lemon, it turns into whipped cream with a neutral flavour and a creamy texture, almost impossible to identify as an alternative to traditional cream.

This is a great example of how to reduce food waste in a simple way. A large part of our waste comes from small everyday habits, such as throwing away something that can still be used. In this case, it is also an alternative for those who avoid animal products or are looking for lighter options.

In practice, how can you use aquafaba? Its versatility is huge. This liquid can be whipped with sugar and lemon to create a soft whipped cream, used as a base for mousse, mayonnaise or meringue, mixed with melted chocolate for a creamy mousse, or even whipped with lemon and salt for a quick dressing. The flavour is neutral and the texture is light and stable, making it ideal for both sweet and savoury recipes.

Let’s move on to a (quick) chocolate mousse recipe made with aquafaba. You will need:

• 120 ml aquafaba

• 120 g melted dark chocolate

• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

• A pinch of salt

Whip the aquafaba until stiff peaks form, just as you would with egg whites. Add the sugar and salt, then gently fold in the melted chocolate. Chill for at least two hours. And that’s it. You end up with a light, creamy mousse made from something that, in another kitchen, would have been thrown away.

This way of using everything, reducing waste and finding new uses for food reflects exactly what we aim to promote at Equal Food. The more people discover that chickpea cooking water can be a valuable ingredient, the more natural it becomes to avoid food waste in everyday life.