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[Paul Miller]

Hey Jen

For me, it depends on the role that ingredient plays in the recipe. I usually look at fat and water content first, especially when texture is important. I’ve learned that replacing an ingredient just because it has a similar flavor doesn’t always work — you also need to think about how it behaves during cooking. Sometimes the best substitute isn’t the most obvious one.

[Nicolás Echeverría]

Hola, si debes de tomar en cuenta el contexto del plato por ejemplo, si es un sandwich de pastrami? Como lo haces vegano? Y si al tofu le incorporas todas las especias que lleva un pastrami? Sé que nunca se comparará, pero es lo que hay

[Nicolás Echeverría]

También en las restricciones alimentarias, si un plato lleva crema? Cómo haces para quitarla y poner… agua? Un vino? Una reducción de caldo? Creo que esto se debe ver antes de sacar un plato

[Jennifer Anderson]

I totally agree, the context of the dish changes everything. I usually try to think less about “what can I swap this with?” and more about what that ingredient is actually doing there.

With the pastrami example, tofu is obviously never going to taste exactly the same, but the seasoning, smoke, marinade, and cooking method can still get you somewhere interesting. Same with cream, sometimes you need richness, sometimes body, sometimes just moisture, so the replacement really depends on the goal.

That’s why I like testing one change at a time and seeing what actually happens.

Thank you, Nico!