Our panel separates the soups and stews from the salads and dips, and unearths plenty of beany substitutes, from pearl barley to pasta
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Chickpeas, beans and pulses don’t agree with me – what can I use instead?
It really depends on the time of year and what you’re making, but as Itamar Srulovich, chef/co-owner of the Honey & Co group of restaurants, cafes and delis in London, sees it, we’re talking about “soupy, stewy situations, or a dippy situation”; perhaps salads, maybe falafel. The nice thing about soups and stews made with beans or chickpeas is their texture, so in this scenario Srulovich, who recently launched The Daily Nightly, an evening offering at Honey & Co Daily, would turn to “lentils if you eat them, and otherwise something along the lines of maftoul or fregola”. Marie Mitchell, chef and author of Kin (published in June), is also firmly in camp carb: “Orzo is always a good shout in soups, to get a bit more oomph, but if you’re up for a bit of texture, then roast old bread and add spices.”
Stews welcome grains with open arms, particularly pearl barley, says Mitchell, who spices things up with ginger, turmeric and garlic, then adds roast veg and coconut milk: “That’s like a hug in a bowl.” Chantelle Nicholson, chef/patron of Apricity in London, meanwhile, also favours barley (“for a bit more texture”) or looks to the “more flavourful grains” such as emmer wheat or spelt. And don’t forget your five-a-day, she says: “If you dice celeriac, parsnip or swede small enough, they can be a great alternative in stews and soups, creating a similar creamy texture to pulses.”
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