We use various types of starches in cooking and each has different properties. They are wheat, potato, tapioca and cornstarch.
According to foodprocessing.com, “The difference between a starch from corn or one from potato can depend on the structure of the starch controlled by the kinds of polymers found in the grain or fiber and the way the polymers are packed into the starch granule. Polymers are characterized as amylose (linear starch) or amylopectin ((branched starch). But there are many variations between one amylopectin starch (often called waxy starches) and another, as well as differences between the length and texture of amylose starches. These are governed by a set of enzymes that trigger branches and size.”
Cornstarch, also known as corn flour or maize starch, is my go-to for lemon meringue and banana cream pies. When using cornstarch, it is important to always make a slurry with cold water or you will have lumps. Finished cornstarch dishes should not be frozen or it will cause the molecules in the starch to break down and thin out after thawing.
Cornstarch is essential in Chinese cooking and is used as a thickening agent, a meat tenderizer, and when mixed with flour and egg to make a batter for deep frying, it will make the finished batter crunchy. It is also used as a non-sticking agent when making dumplings.
Cornstarch was developed in 1844 in New Jersey and is now an important ingredient for many culinary dishes throughout the world.
If you have a child who loves science, cornstarch makes great quicksand.
Quicksand
1 box cornstarch
Water
A large bowl
Food coloring
Mix the cornstarch and the water together at a ratio of 10 parts cornstarch to 1 part water. Start the mixture by adding about 1/2 of the cup of cornstarch to about 1 cup of water and keep adding cornstarch until you get a sticky quicksand texture.
Please do not let the kids throw this in the sink when they are done playing with it though or it could clog the drain!
• • •
Wheat starch, when heated, becomes very translucent and is used to make “har gow” dim sum or “steamed rice rolls” or what we call in Hawaii, “look fun” sheets. It is not a good thickening starch.
Here is my recipe for har gow wrappers:
Har Gow
Wrappers
Makes 30 wrappers
1-1/2 cups wheat starch ( also called dung min fun)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
Sift the wheat starch and tapioca starch together in a bowl. Form a well in the center. Quickly pour in the boiling water while vigorously stirring the mixture until a ball forms. This cooks the starches, resulting in a translucent wrapper. Add the vegetable shortening and stir it in, then transfer the dough to a lightly floured (with wheat starch) board and knead for a few minutes until soft and smooth.
Divide the ball in half. Using your palms, roll each piece of dough into one inch cylinders. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut each cylinder into 3/4 inch pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Cover the balls with a damp towel. You may let them rest for an hour or two. Press one ball at a time, into a wafer about 1/8 inch thick and 3-3/4 inches in diameter, oiling as necessary. Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece of dough on a floured board. Stack the wrapper as you roll them. Fill with seasoned ground chicken or other filling.
Potato is a common starch used in countries such as Norway. It can be used as a substitute to cornstarch as a thickening agent but if left to sit for a while, will get less thick as it cools off. When used as a meat tenderizer, it will yield a more shiny texture after cooking, but in a batter, it will not produce a crunchy texture.
Tapioca starch is extracted from the root of the cassava plant and when cooked, becomes very translucent, sticky, elastic, and has a chewy texture. We think of tapioca balls in our boba drinks when we think of tapioca. It can be used to marinate meats and to thicken broths.
Arrowroot is a starchy flour made from the roots of the Maranta genus. The roots are first fried and then ground into a fine power. If using arrowroot instead of cornstarch as a thickener, use twice as much for similar results.
Rice flour is finely ground rice and is often used in Asian countries to make rice noodles, and for desserts. It is a good substitute for cornstarch, and like arrowroot, use twice as much as called for in cornstarch.
Foodie bites
Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Program will close from this Friday and return on Jan. 10 for spring semester.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.
