Vegan Salted Egg Yolks
Miso-macadamia ‘egg yolks’ bolstered with the creamy richness of nuts, the protein of mung bean and the fattiness of coconut oil, set with tapioca into a firm gel. Salty with an umami punch.
- Prep Time: 1 day
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 24 hours 15 minutes
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
For the gel-like center:
- ¼ cup (55 grams) peeled mung beans, soaked overnight in cool water (you can find peeled/shelled mung beans at an Asian grocery store)
- ½ cup (65 grams) raw macadamia or cashew nuts, soaked overnight in cool water and drained
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons miso paste
- 1 teaspoon mushroom bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 softgels beta-carotene*, for color (sub ¼ cup carrot juice, or a few drops of food coloring— I have tested all and found I like the beta-carotene the best)
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
For the outer softer layer (optional):
- Half of a peeled taro root, cubed, about 1 cup (5 ounces / 140 grams)
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
- 1 softgel beta-carotene, oil only
- ½ teaspoon mushroom bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the shelled mung beans and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until soft and easily crushable between the fingers, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
- Combine the cooked mung beans and soaked macadamia or cashew nuts in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend with ¼ cup water (if using carrot juice, use it here in place of the water) until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the nutritional yeast, miso paste, mushroom powder, lemon juice, and blend again until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Scrape into a non-stick saucepan. Add the tapioca starch, beta carotene (squeeze out the rich red/orange oil and discard the capsules), and coconut oil and stir until incorporated. Turn the heat on to medium-low and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken. When the consistency is firm enough so that it pulls away from the spatula, remove from heat. Taste and stir in the salt, adding more as necessary, until the mixture is very salty, almost too salty to eat straight. When cool enough to handle, divide into small yolk-sized balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake until they “egg yolks” are firm and glossy in color, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet, then place in an airtight container and chill in the fridge until you want to use them.
- Optional: To make the taro portion, steam the peeled taro for 5 minutes until a chopstick pokes easily through the flesh. In a medium bowl, mash the taro with the beta carotene (squeeze out the oil from the softgel and discard the capsule), mushroom powder, miso and salt to taste. Taking a small portion, wrap around the chilled egg yolk centers. Repeat with the remaining portions. Chill in the fridge until use.
Notes
- Use refined coconut oil— it doesn’t taste like coconut and won’t add a coconut flavor (unlike unrefined coconut oil).
- *I got the idea for using beta-carotene from the book This Cheese is Nuts!, a vegan cookbook by Julie Piatt. The author’s note: “My absolute favorite way to add color and healing properties to cheese is by using beta-carotene. Yes, there are ingredients such as turmeric and annatto, made from the seeds of the achiote, that can also add color. But with turmeric you have to deal with the bitter taste, and annatto is not as easy to find. Beta-carotene capsules will last a long time stored in your refrigerator. Add one to four drops to get your favorite, deliciously golden shade.”
Keywords: salted egg yolk, vegan egg yolk, vegan salted egg yolk
Find it online: https://theplantbasedwok.com/vegan-salted-egg-yolks/