texture of psyllium

[maydolphin10]

wat is psyllium like? is it just like flax? i'd like a thickener that isn't so goopey but more custardy. is psyllium like that? i hope so. thanks in advance for ur help!

[maydolphin10]

help anyone?

[Kris]

Hi maydolphin,

I have only used ground psyllium husk once -- in a raw quiche. The consistency was sort of...well...squishy and slimy because I put a bit too much psyllium. I'm trying to think of how to describe the way psyllium feels in your mouth. I think it's pretty close to flaxseed goo. I haven't tried to use it for a custardy dish, so I'm not sure it would give you the consistency you're looking for. Geez, I wish I could be helpful here instead of just rambling and imagining the way psyllium feels in my mouth. :o

Hopefully someone else has a more eloquent response. Would it be possible for you to make a mini-version of the custard you're thinking of and see how it works? And let us all know of course...

[exurb]

maydolphin, I use psyllium successfully. To me what works is to buy it as husk and grind it yourself in a good coffee grinder until EXTREMELY FINE. Like really really really powdery fine. (and don't put too much in a recipe). It is sort of "time release", it will thicken with some time, you don't need much, some people make the mistake of keeping putting it in until they get the desired thickness while they're stirring, that's not a good idea.

I use it sometimes in small doses to thicken up a pie filling. I don't notice it in there at all except that it improves the texture.

I don't quite know if it's custardy, I would say sort of in something like a pumpkin pie.

I haven't used agar (a seaweed based thickener) in raw foods, but maybe that's worth looking into?

[Svadhyaya]

My only experience with psyllium was while doing a cleanse.
I had to drink it and, oh my God, it was like downing a giant glass of snot.
I could retch just thinking about it!

That said, it is quite tasteless, so I'm sure that it could be successfully used in recipes and such, as exurb indicated.

I'm certainly over it forever, though.
There's no way I'll ever be able to even think of it without gagging. Ugh. It's a shame it's been spoiled for me, because it is supposed to be excellent for cleaning out your pipes.

[fuzzywater]

I've used it in a cheesecake recipe because I didn't want to put an entire cup of coconut oil in. That seemed to work quite well! As mentioned though, definitely use it judiciously.

[maydolphin10]

thanks everyone for your responses! so i guess its not what im looking for if its the same sliminess as flax. does anyone know if agar can set up without being heated?