Roasted aromas ensure a particularly strong taste experience. In this article, we explain how they are made and how you can use them, especially in vegan cuisine.
Everyone knows roasted aromas – the scent of ground coffee beans, fried onions or crusty bread fresh from the oven. Behind these flavors is the so-called Maillard reaction, in which sugar and proteins react with each other under the influence of heat. Characteristic smells, tastes and browning develop on the surface of the treated food through baking, roasting and roasting.
Although the two processes are similar, there is a difference between the Maillard reaction and caramelization. Sugar and heat are all you need to caramelize food. In the Maillard reaction, the sugar also reacts with proteins. However, it is possible for the caramelization and the Maillard reaction to occur simultaneously. For example, it can happen that your onions caramelize when frying due to their own sugar and also produce roasted aromas due to the Maillard reaction.
Roasted aromas in vegan cuisine
As already mentioned, the development of roasted flavors requires both sugars and proteins. Many foods already contain both of the necessary components and can therefore be easily refined with roasted aromas. You can enhance the reaction even further by adding an additional sugary component, for example in the form of a marinade.
Basically, many products that contain roasted flavors can already be vegan. These include, for example, cocoa beans and their products, coffee, beer, bread, French fries and chips. Of course, you also have the option of creating roasted aromas yourself in your kitchen. For example, you can roast potatoes or sweet potatoes in the oven or fry marinated tofu in a pan. Other foods that go well with roasted flavors include:
Corn
tempeh
Mushrooms
paprika
aubergine
carrots
pumpkin
tomatoes
garlic
chestnuts
You can use it to prepare a simple oven-roasted pumpkin dish, a delicious tempeh pan or grilled corn ribs, for example. In the Utopia seasonal calendar you can see when which vegetables are in season in Germany. In another article you will find more tips for hearty vegan dishes with roasted flavors that you can prepare all year round.
You should pay attention to this when roasting
Under unfavorable conditions, the production of roasted aromas through the Maillard reaction can lead to increased formation of undesirable substances. This includes in particular the so-called acrylamide. You can read more detailed information about this substance in our guide: Acrylamide: Why the substance is problematic.
The development of roasted aromas is particularly dependent on temperature, time, pH value and water content. Pay attention to the following points to limit the formation of potentially harmful substances:
The color is a handy clue as to whether or not roasted foods contain unhealthy substances. Avoid deep black and charred spots by carefully observing your food as you prepare it. Black spots can form particularly at very high temperatures from 180 degrees Celsius and with long cooking times.
If possible, add herbs and spices afterwards – especially if the liquid content is low. In this way you avoid that they burn prematurely before the desired roasted aromas can even develop.
If it tastes right, use a little acid to reduce the risk of burning. Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, for example, are suitable.
