After cooking potatoes, pasta or chickpeas, we have the reflex to throw away the water in which our food was prepared. A waste when we know that these cooking waters, by absorbing the flavors, salts or broths they contain, are reusable. Rich in aromas, we advise you on the use of these waters as a complement to your preparations.
A little cooking water… and it’s ready
Chickpea cooking water
Loaded with protein, aquafaba, the brine contained in jars of chickpeas, is an interesting substitute for egg whites. While two tablespoons of this water are enough to replace one egg white, a third will replace up to a whole egg in your recipes. We reassure you, this water leaves no aftertaste.
The aquafaba is assembled into snow, ideal for preparing a vegetable chocolate mousse. Also use this water to make homemade mayonnaise.
If you buy your chickpeas without brine water, know that you can also obtain aquafaba directly with the cooking water used to cook these legumes. To use it, you still need a little patience since a little preliminary preparation is necessary.
How to make homemade aquafaba?
Overnight, soak your chickpeas in cold water. Rinse them, then cook 100g of chickpeas in 50cl of boiling water for 30 to 40 minutes. Once ready, place the peas and their water in a jar and store overnight in the refrigerator. Cool, the texture of the water will thicken to transform your aquafaba.
Note that this preparation can be made with any other type of legumes (dried beans, red beans, beans, etc.)
Pasta cooking water
Pasta. We consume on average 8kg per person each year. A quantity that says a lot about the liters of cooking water that pass through the strainer. Finished the sink, let’s go to the seasonings. During cooking, the water, by soaking up the starch of the pasta, becomes excellent for thickening sauces. Add a ladleful to make your pesto less oily; dilute a tomato sauce; or better mix the melted cheese with your pasta. If it has been previously salted, you will need to adjust the final quantity of salt. Also, it will be used in the preparation of bread dough.
Potato cooking water
The water from cooking the potatoes is collected to prepare stock cubes. As with any vegetable, the cooking water takes care of the minerals and vitamins that the potatoes contain. To make these cubes, nothing could be simpler, collect the water, place it in small containers (ideally an ice cube tray), add a few spices to flavor and let your stock cubes form in the freezer. You will then have three months to add them to your future preparations.
Reusable water in the kitchen and in everyday life
These waters are also very good allies in our daily lives. After a few hours in the refrigerator, these waters transform into a natural weedkiller; and after boiling, removing stain for your gas stoves, hobs and sink.
Do you have intestinal problems or need an energizer? Reuse the cooking water from your rice into a cold drink. A few sips every morning and you will be revitalized.
With all these tips, you will never throw away your cooking water again.
