Substitute for psyllium husks?

[Binky Profile]

I am going to make some vegan 'meatballs' this evening, but the recipe asks for 2 tbs of psyllium husks. I haven't got any, so am looking for a substitute.

Internet searches show that this ingredient is probably there as a binding agent. Would xantham powder work? (I bought some for experimenting with gluten-free baking but never got round to it. The canister is still sitting in the larder shelves).

[jeral Profile]

I imagine xanthum gum should work.
I gather from one site that some react to it hence psyllium is preferred but it didn't say that xanthum gum didn't work.

However, if the mixture itself tastes good, you could use it as a layer (or two layers) in a lasagne. Or perhaps bake the mix as patties with xanthum gum as it is meant to be good for sticking veg burger patty things.

I've said "bake" as patties don't fall apart if baked since they're not "disturbed" nor have to survive a disruptive bubbling liquid environment.

Other options are potato or rice flour but if you have xanthum gum, why not try it?

[Binky Profile]

Reporting back, this was a great success.

Crumbled Tofu, onion, garlic, ground almonds, herbs, made into 'meatballs' and all bound together with xanthum gum and baked in the oven with a passata sauce. Served up with fresh basil. Yum.

[jeral Profile]

Sounds good

Have you tried zatar spice? It's very good for most things veggie being a kind of mix that has the famous umami effect.

[Renée Profile]

Sounds very good, Binky! Do you use the firm tofu?

[Binky Profile]

Is it possible to have a bug on an iPad? I have done two lengthy replies and both have been unsuccessful. Disappeared completely.

[DEB Profile]

veggie "meatballs"
I have made these from the link below for my meat loving daughters and they have asked for them again. How spicy you make them is up to you, in my house we go mid spicy eg more than in the recipe.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/116 ... mato-sauce

[Sakkarin Profile]

Binky, sometimes when I post I accidentally press "save draft" instead of "submit". Maybe you did that.

Also sometimes I press "preview" to see how it looks and forget to press "submit" afterwards.

Both mean that the post isn't published, although if you pressed "save draft" it will still be there somewhere.

Most of the time I tend to write the post on my computer first in "notepad", then copy and paste it into the forum, to avoid losing it, as i just did with this Korean thread post just now...

[Binky Profile]

I will be brief in case this post annoyingly disappears.

The tofu that I use is in a firm block, made by Cauldron Foods and available at many supermarkets for about £1.50-2.00. We were on holiday to Japan a few years ago, and I saw fresh tofu being made. Nothing is as nice as that!

I have made a spread with beetroot, cashew nuts, olive oil, lemon juice and zatar spices. You have it with pita bread. It's the first time I have used zatar and we like the spice mix, but looking at the ingredients list I could probably make it myself.

Sakkarin, I think there was a bug of some sort. Checking with Apple, the advice was to 'power off' and let the rogue app sort itself out. Which I am hoping has happened now!