Kosher equivalents - why?

 It was asserted that this is similar to the Rambam's view to wean Jews from prohibited things. I see no evidence for such a claim. It seems more to be to avoid feeling deprived or tempted

Chulin (109a) Yalta said to her husband Rav Naḥman: Now as a rule, for any item that the Merciful One prohibited to us, He permitted to us a similar item. He prohibited to us the consumption of blood, yet He permitted to us the consumption of liver, which is filled with blood and retains the taste of blood. Likewise, God prohibited sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman, but permitted sexual intercourse with one’s wife while she discharges the blood of purity. During a particular period after giving birth, even if she experiences a flow of blood she is not rendered ritually impure and remains permitted to her husband by Torah law.  Furthermore, the Torah prohibits the consumption of the forbidden fat of a domesticated animal, but permitted the fat of an undomesticated animal, which has the same flavor. It is prohibited to eat pork, but one may eat the brain of a shibuta fish, which has a similar taste. One may not eat giruta, a non-kosher fish, but one may eat the tongue of a fish, which tastes similar. Likewise, the Torah prohibits sexual intercourse with the wife of another man but permitted one to marry a divorced woman in her previous husband’s lifetime. The Torah prohibits sexual intercourse with one’s brother’s wife, and yet it permits one to marry his yevama, i.e., his brother’s widow when the brother dies childless. Finally, the Torah prohibits sexual intercourse with a gentile woman but permitted one to marry a beautiful woman who is a prisoner of war (see Deuteronomy 21:10–14). Yalta concluded: The Torah prohibits the consumption of meat cooked in milk; I wish0 to eat a dish that tastes like meat cooked in milk.

 Petach Einayimא"ל ילתא לרב נחמן מכדי כל דאסר לן רחמנא שרא לן כוותיה וכו'. אפשר להיות דארשב"ג אל יאמר אדם אי אפשי בבשר חזיר אלא אפשי ואפשי ומה אעשה ואבי שבשמים גזר עלי אמטו להכי שרא מעין דוגמא דאסר כי הן האדם יאמר באמיתות אפשי ואפשי דגלי לן טעמיה בהתרא ומה אעשה ואבי שבשמים גזר עלי