Vegan Deviled Eggs

Planning a party? A potluck? A picnic? A simple gathering? It can be a challenge to come up with something savory to serve that's different, fun, enticing, and low in FODMAPs. If you're up for some culinary excitement and kitchen fun, this recipe is for you!

Vegan deviled egg recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, with each version being a variation of a variation of a variation of whatever might have been the original. This one is based on a recipe by Lagusta's Luscious, which was adapted by vegan cooking instructor and natural foods consultant Mimi Clark (with a few adaptations of my own). And so the tradition continues!

---

One of the secret ingredients in this particular recipe is black salt, also called kala namak, a purplish or pinkish gray rock salt that's often used in Indian cuisine and is known for its characteristic sulfurous hard-boiled-egg aroma. The other secret ingredient is powdered agar, an algae extract used as a vegan substitute for gelatin. It has no color or flavor, which makes it an ideal culinary ingredient for either sweet or savory foods. You'll also need an egg mold for these to turn out properly. Egg molds are available at craft, culinary, and candy supply stores, as well as online. Note that it's essential to use only unsweetened milk in the recipe!

---

VEGAN DEVILED EGGS
Makes 8 eggs

Egg Whites
1 cup unsweetened low-FODMAP soy milk or almond milk            
1 teaspoon agar powder
Pinch kala namak (Indian black salt)

Egg Yolks
4 ounces firm  tofu
1 tablespoon vegan mayo
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon kala namak (Indian black salt)
Paprika, for garnish
Chives and/or parsley, for garnish

1. To make the egg whites, put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat just until almost boiling. If any bubbles appear, lift the saucepan off the heat and gently swirl the mixture to remove the bubbles.
2. Pour into an egg mold. There should be enough to fill 8 cavities. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (longer is fine), until firm. (See note #1, below.)
3. To make the egg yolks, put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. (See note #3, below.)
4. Spoon the egg yolk mixture into a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip, such as #22, 32, or 1M (the larger the opening, the bigger the "swirl"). Alternatively, use a plastic sandwich bag, snip off a tiny piece of the corner, then drop the tip inside so it pokes through the corner hole, and fill the bag with egg yolk mixture. (See note #2, below.)
5. Using a melon baller or a round, 1-teaspoon measuring spoon, gently scoop out some of the egg white from the wider end of the egg. For a larger center, scoop out the egg whites using a round 1-tablespoon measuring spoon. 
6. Pipe the filling inside the cavity using a circular motion starting from the perimeter of the circle.
7. Garnish the eggs with paprika and chives just before serving. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, the eggs will keep for 4 days. 

Notes

1. Agar is thermoreversible, which means that if it doesn't gel after 15 minutes in the fridge, you can transfer the egg whites back to the saucepan and heat the mixture again.
2. Firm tofu may be challenging to pipe through a pastry bag, so you may need to add a few drops of unsweetened low-FODMAP nondairy milk for it to flow more smoothly.
3. If you aren't assembling the eggs immediately, taste the yolk mixture just before you assemble and serve them. You will likely have to add more black salt because its potency decreases over time.