For salad dressings, replacing mustard with lecithin as an emulsifier?
So every time I make a salad dressing, I can't help but rely on mustard (or sometimes mayonnaise) to emulsify the mixture. However, oftentimes, I don't want mustard as part of the flavor profile of my salad.
So is there any neutral emulsifier that could help prevent my need for mustard?
My thought was lecithin since it's already a common ingredient in store-bought salad dressings, but I don't really know. Ideally, the ingredient would be easily available online and easy to use in the kitchen (e.g., only requiring a scale).
Best Answer
Lecithin is indeed a good emulsifier, available from egg whites or soy. Both egg whites and soy lecithin are available in powdered form and should be shelf-stable and usable with normal kitchen tools (scales and measuring spoons).
Another powdered option is gum arabic (also called acacia gum), which comes from acacia resin. It's used a lot in commercial food products and candies.
These are all readily available online, but you may also find them in some grocery stores (in the US, the Bob's Mill brand offers a lot of things like this) or restaurant supply stores (but the quantities might be more than you want) or you may find some gums among the spices at larger Indian markets, or certainly in a large spice market like Kalustyan's in NYC.
I know you asked for neutral, but I figured I'd also mention that garlic can be used as an emulsifier but it isn't quite as stable (it may separate some over time in the fridge) and, of course, it is NOT neutral. But the flavor profile of garlic might fit in some recipes where mustard doesn't. (There is a tasty Lebanese dip that demonstrates this well -- it is pretty much just garlic, salt, lemon and oil, and whips up into something thick and creamy.)
Pictures about "For salad dressings, replacing mustard with lecithin as an emulsifier?"
How do you emulsify salad dressing without mustard?
The best emulsifying ingredients for salad dressings and vinaigrettes are egg yolks, mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and mashed avocado. Other options include miso, tahini, tomato paste, agave nectar, and maple syrup.What is the role of lecithin in a vinaigrette dressing?
Lecithin is a natural emulsifier, which means it has both hydrophilic (water loving) and hydrophobic (water repelling, or oil loving) properties. It is this amphipathic character that helps the oils bond to the vinegar and other ingredients in your homemade salad dressings.Is lecithin used as an emulsifier?
As an emulsifier, soy lecithin is used in food applications as an aerating agent, viscosity modifier, dispersant and lubricant. Typically, an emulsion is a suspension of small droplets of one liquid in another liquid with which it is incapable of mixing.Why is an emulsifier like mustard added when we make salad dressing?
A Template for Dressings That Don't Separate. In this easy method, garlic and mustard are used as emulsifiers to help bind the surfaces of the water and oil in the dressing. Adding other ingredients like nuts, honey, mayonnaise, and tahini will also help emulsify the dressing.8 Healthy Salad Dressings (REALLY QUICK)
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