Aquafaba can be used in meringue, cakes, pancakes and savoury dishes

About three tablespoons of Aquafaba is

consistency to that of an egg

For most home cooks, there is only one place in the kitchen for the slimy liquid housed in a can of chickpeas - down the sink drain.

But according to healthy foodies, chickpea brine actually has a very surprising use in cooking, and has become the latest trendy food substitute.

The brine - known as Aquafaba - can be used in place of egg whites in recipes for meringue, cakes and pancakes, and people can't get enough.

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Food hack: Chickpea brine, or Aquafaba, can be used as an egg white substitute in sweet and savoury dishes

Sweet treat: Aquafaba is commonly used in vegan recipes that use a lot of egg white, like meringue

Delicious: Because it has a similar consistency to egg white, aquafaba can be whipped and used the same way

The liquid is used in vegan recipes is a suitable substitute for the dairy due to its similar consistency.

Aquafaba can be used raw in fluffy meringue or baked in macaroons and pavlovas, and you need about three tablespoons of the liquid to get the same amount as one egg.

The #aquafaba hashtag on Instagram has more than 4,000 posts of delicious-looking sweet treats made using chickpea brine.

Food trend: The #aquafaba hashtag has more than 4,000 posts on Instagram as people share their recipes

Egg hack: This frangipane tart was made using aquafaba - but looks just as delicious as the real deal

One user posted a photo of a towering pile of S'mores that squished vegan marshmallows between chocolate and biscuits.

The recipe used 'aquafaba, sugar, xanthan gum and a little coconut cream' to make the marshmallows that looked just as fluffy as the real deal.

Another used aquafaba to make a mouth-watering chocolate mousse.

Versatile: The ingredient can also be used as a binder in savoury dishes like burgers

The ingredient can also be used as a binder in savoury dishes like burgers, cheese, butter, bread or mayonnaise.

There are artificial egg-white alternatives available on the market and people also use apple sauce, tofu or bananas as a substitute in recipes.

Aquafaba is favoured because it is both cheap and easily accessible.

Easy alternative: Chickpea brine is growing in popularity because is is both cheap and easily accessible

Alternatives: If you don't like chickpeas, you can also use soy water, cannellini beans or butter beans as an egg-white substitute

Once combined with other ingredients Aquafaba does not have the same taste or smell as it did straight out of the can.

But for people who do not like chickpeas, other legumes can be used in its place.