Frequently asked questions
But before start: you can’t simply sprinkle a bit of the white powder into your dish on its own. You’ll need this special step: a cornstarch slurry! As two cookbook authors, this is one of our top tips for working with this ingredient. Cornstarch must be heated to around 203°F for the thickening to occur. This is the temperature where “starch gelatinization” happens: the process where the the particles of cornstarch absorb water. So in order to be activated, the cornstarch slurry should be heated once it’s added to the dish. When to make a cornstarch slurry? Use it to thicken stir fry sauces, soups, stews, gravies, fruit sauces, compotes, and other sauces where you want a thick, glossy body.
Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 ½ tablespoons water. This amount of cornstarch should create a moderate amount of thickening, but this depends upon the quantity of liquid and exactly what you’re making. Start with 1 tablespoon, then add more as necessary depending on your recipe. Pour the slurry into the heated dish (sauce, soup, stew, etc). You can also start with it cold and heat it along with the full recipe. Stir constantly as it thickens. Cornstarch can still clump up if you don’t stir. Continue to stir as the sauce thickens. If it’s not thick enough, add another ½ or 1 tablespoon mixed cornstarch slurry and continue to stir.
You can also make a flour slurry in the same way as a cornstarch slurry. However, flour doesn’t thicken in the same way: it’s not as powerful of a thickener and the sauce doesn’t get as glossy. So we recommend arrowroot starch as the best substitute.
Stir fries like Shrimp Stir Fry, Cauliflower Stir Fry, Tofu Stir Fry or Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry Fruit sauces like Blueberry Sauce, Blueberry Compote, Strawberry Compote or Strawberry Sauce Sauces like Balsamic Glaze, Taco Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce Pie fillings like Strawberry Pie
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