Cornflour

In China and throughout Asia there are many flours and types of starch, such as water chestnut powder, taro starch, and arrowroot, which are used to bind and thicken sauces and to make batter. Cornflour is also now widely used in Chinese cooking, although traditional cooks prefer a bean flour because it thickens faster and holds longer. In China, sauces are light and barely coat the food, and food never “swims” in thick sauces. As part of a marinade, cornflour helps to coat food properly and to give dishes a velvety texture. It also protects food during deep-frying by helping to seal in the juices, producing a crisper coating than flour, and can be used as a binder for minced stuffings. Cornflour is invariably blended with cold water until it forms a smooth paste and added at the last moment to sauces. The mixture will look milky at first, but when the dish is properly prepared, the cornflour turns clear and shiny as it thickens the sauce.