The person who developed the veggie burger recipe specified egg yolks instead of the whole egg or egg whites for one or all of the following nutritional or culinary reasons:
1. Egg yolks don't need heat to act as a binder--think mayonnaise. Whole eggs and egg whites need heat for the binding effect to take place.
2. Egg whites are mostly water. Eggs yolks won't thin out a recipe. If whole eggs or egg whites are used, a refined starch is usually added to compensate for the extra moisture, which would affect the taste, the cooking method and cooking time.
3. Egg yolks won't overpower a delicate flavor. That sulfur-y, eggy smell or taste comes from the whites, not the yolks.
4. Allergic reactions are more commonly associated with the protein in the whites; allergies to egg yolks are rare.
5. I don't know what vegetables your recipe contains, but the addition of egg yolk would give it a boost in vitamins A, D and E, those fat-soluble vitamins not usually available in food from plants. Egg yolks are one of the few foods from any source that contain Vitamin D.
If none of those reasons seem to apply to your recipe, you might consider substituting a whole egg (for every 2 yolks called for) without too greatly affecting the burger's taste or texture.
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1. Egg yolks don't need heat to act as a binder--think mayonnaise. Whole eggs and egg whites need heat for the binding effect to take place.
2. Egg whites are mostly water. Eggs yolks won't thin out a recipe. If whole eggs or egg whites are used, a refined starch is usually added to compensate for the extra moisture, which would affect the taste, the cooking method and cooking time.
3. Egg yolks won't overpower a delicate flavor. That sulfur-y, eggy smell or taste comes from the whites, not the yolks.
4. Allergic reactions are more commonly associated with the protein in the whites; allergies to egg yolks are rare.
5. I don't know what vegetables your recipe contains, but the addition of egg yolk would give it a boost in vitamins A, D and E, those fat-soluble vitamins not usually available in food from plants. Egg yolks are one of the few foods from any source that contain Vitamin D.
If none of those reasons seem to apply to your recipe, you might consider substituting a whole egg (for every 2 yolks called for) without too greatly affecting the burger's taste or texture.