The chickpea surprise you never knew you needed 

The humble can of chickpeas, the star of countless savoury dishes, is here to surprise many in being able to also be a key ingredient in the making of a quick and easy vegan meringue. Introducing aquafaba, the liquid inside a can of chickpeas.

Like egg whites, aquafaba can be whipped into stiff peaks and fluffy clouds. It’s the ideal foundation when making meringues that are shockingly light and crunchy without using eggs. The best part is that you can completely customise these chickpea meringues. It can be flavoured with almonds, vanilla, or even a little citrus. You get a tasty and sustainable treat when you add a little cornflour to help them maintain their shape. These meringues can be a showstopper on any sweet table if you ran out of eggs or impress a vegan friend.

Quick conversion 
30ml (2 Tbsp) of aquafaba is equal to 1 egg white

Quick vegan french meringue

Flavour your meringue with vanilla, rose water or even coffee essence.  

Ingredients

90ml aquafaba
200g caster sugar
15ml lemon juice
5ml vanilla essence

Method

1. Drain chickpeas and reserve the aquafaba. (1 can of chickpeas generally has 100ml-125ml of aquafaba.)
2. Whip the aquafaba until stiff peaks form, adding the sugar gradually until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Fold in the lemon juice and vanilla essence.
4. Lather this fluffy meringue over any vegan sweet treat like cakes, tarts or cupcakes.
5. Toast the meringue with a kitchen blowtorch to get that delicious fire marshmallow flavour.

Good to know 
To bake, dollop the meringue mixture on a lined tray and bake at 100°C for 1 hour, then turn oven off. Cool in oven for 45 minutes, keeping oven door closed. Open the oven door slightly and leave meringue inside overnight to set.

Words by Lichelle May and Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine, Shutterstock

The post Quick vegan french meringue appeared first on MyKitchen.

To mark International Hummus Day on 13 May, we’re showing off just how versatile (and healthy) the humble chickpea can be.  

Hummus with almond crunch 

Serves 6 As A Snack • Total Time 15-20 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE HUMMUS  

2 cans chickpeas, drained  
2 Tbsp olive oil  
2 tsp tahini  
1 clove garlic  
1 lemon, juiced  
Salt and milled black pepper   

FOR THE ALMOND CRUNCH  

Handful almonds, roasted  
A few sprigs fresh coriander  
1 lemon, zested 
1 tsp pink peppercorns (optional)  

Method

1. Add chickpeas to boiling salted water. 
2. Boil for 10-12 minutes, drain and rinse. Set aside to cool slightly. 
3. Blitz chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, garlic and lemon juice until smooth. Season. 
4. In a pestle and mortar, grind almonds, coriander, zest and peppercorns, if using, and set aside. 
5. Spread hummus over a serving platter and scatter with almond topping.

ON THE SIDE: AQUAFABA

Aquafaba is the water which chickpeas have been cooked in, the same gummy liquid that surrounds them in the can. It has the consistency of egg white and, in some cases, can be used in their place. Yes, even in something as delicate as a meringue! One can of chickpeas contains about ½ cup aquafaba. The rule of thumb is that 2 Tbsp of aquafaba is the same as one egg white. Here’s how to whip it up:  

STEP 1: Drain chickpeas and reserve liquid.  

STEP 2 :Add an extra 3 Tbsp of sugar to help mask the subtle chickpea flavour.  

STEP 3 :Whisk liquid until stiff peaks form. Gradually add castor sugar while whisking until glossy and doubled in size.  

STEP 4 :Transfer mixture to a piping bag to make meringue kisses or mini pavlovas.  

Golden curried chickpea fritters 

Serves 4 • Total Time 20-25 Min 

Ingredients

2 cans brown lentils, drained and rinsed 
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed  
1 onion, chopped  
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste  
2 tsp medium curry powder  
2 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp turmeric  
1 tsp chilli flakes  
2 lemons, zested  
2 eggs, whisked  
Salt and milled black pepper  
Vegetable oil, for frying 
125g tenderstem broccoli 
300g baby spinach  
2 red onions, cut into eighths 
Plain yoghurt for serving 
Fresh herbs for serving  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Spread lentils and chickpeas onto a greased baking tray and roast for 8-10 minutes. Set aside. 
3. Pulse chickpeas, lentils, onion, ginger and garlic paste, spices and lemon zest in a blender to form a chunky mixture. 
4. Add eggs and mix until combined. Season well. 
5. Heat oil in a large pan and shape mixture into 12-15 fritters. 
6. Shallow-fry fritters in batches for about 6 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt. 
7. In a separate pan, heat a glug of oil and flash fry broccoli, spinach and red onion over high heat until tender. Set aside. 
8. Serve fritters with greens, dollops of plain yoghurt and fresh herbs. 

ON THE SIDE: HUMMUS HACKS

• Boiling chickpeas before blitzing softens them, making sure you use less oil and have especially silky hummus. 
• Can’t find tahini? Swap out for smooth peanut butter and an extra squeeze of lemon juice. 
• Save the chickpea liquid to use instead of eggs in omelettes, cakes or even meringues (see the Hummus with crunch recipe to find out how). 

Chickpea avo and tomato salad 

Serves 4. Total Time 35-40 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKPEAS  

2 cans chickpeas, drained  
2 Tbsp olive oil  
1 tsp smoked or regular paprika 
½ tsp ground cumin  
1 tsp garam masala  
Salt and milled black pepper 

FOR THE TOMATOES  

200g mini plum tomatoes, quartered  
3 Tbsp olive oil  
1 clove garlic, grated  
Handful fresh parsley or coriander, chopped 
1 lemon, zested and juiced  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Toss chickpeas with olive oil, paprika, cumin, garam masala and season well. 
3. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes or until crispy. 
4. Toss tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, herbs, zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Season and set aside for 15 minutes. 
5. Arrange avocado and marinated tomatoes on a platter and top with CHEF’S TIP crispy chickpeas. These roasted and 
6. Serve scattered with basil spiced chickpeas make and drizzle with a squeeze for a delicious healthy of lemon juice. snack, too .

The post 4 Underrated Ways With Chickpeas appeared first on MyKitchen.