jacqui{JB} wrote:
>
> "justme[Karen]" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Every recipe on the net seems to need suet for
> > plum pudding [Christmas pudding]. Due to dietary
> > constraints, I'm not allowed to eat any form of fat
> > such as lard or suet. (I observe the Hebrew dietary
> > laws).
> >
> > Is there a substitute for suet or how can I adjust the
> > recipe [below] to reflect a difference? Would butter
> > do instead? Or shortening?
>
> Butter won't do, but, strangely enough, there is a vegetarian version of
> suet (one of the weirdest oxymorons to come along in a while). I've seen it
> mentioned on some of the UK cooking programs I watch. It appears to be
> quite similar to shortening, but *much* firmer in consistency (just like the
> real thing). Anyway, you could probably substitute shortening, in smaller
> quantity (perhaps half?).
>
> -j

I wonder if that is a bakery shortening. It's tougher, more resilient
and doesn't melt quite the way standard shortening does. Hmm....