Alternative to corn starch?

[quotidianlight]

I'm still working on my asian cooking skills and need some help. A lot of the dishes I would like to learn use corn starch as a thickener. At 29 carbs per quarter cup I am looking for a healthier lower carb alternative. Cream of tarter is about the same. Any ideas?

[Shaemess]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

I did a quick search and I found something called Konjac Flour. If you click on the title of the article it shows you the nutritional info which basically says, Carbs 3, Soluble fiber 3 and apparently 0 Calories. It's expensive though, at $19/ 500g.

[timbrewolf1]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

To my way of thinking: the corn starch is simply designed to take time off of the process of "reducing." Why not just take the necessary cooking time to reduce the liquid to a thicker state?

[OzLover]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

I looked in my Dana Carpenter cookbook to see what she suggests. You can use Guar and Xanthan Gums as a thickner. Looks like it is used in tiney quantities & she suggests to put hte quar or xanthan through the blender with whatever liquid you are using. Apparently it is difficult to whisk quar into a sauce & not get
"gummy lumps". Hope this helps!

[Shaemess]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

To my way of thinking: the corn starch is simply designed to take time off of the process of "reducing." Why not just take the necessary cooking time to reduce the liquid to a thicker state?

I guess it would depend on what you were cooking. In some cases you would run the risk of overcooking whatever it was you were reducing.

[not2late]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

Cream of tartar is NOT the same as cornstarch!!!! So don't use that.

What phase are you in Quotient? If you are already through the Grain Rungs of OWL Phase, then you can use rice flour, barley flour, etc. If you use them, treat them like you would wheat flour and make a roux, rather than mixing them into a hot liquid to thicken.

Corn is a New World food product. Before 1492, it was unknown in Europe and Asia. So any thickening these cultures used prior to that wasn't corn-based. Ditto for potatoes.

[quotidianlight]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

I'm still not using any flour and won't for some time given some brief but disastrous experiments. As for reducing, it works for most things but occasionally I am cooking something that really needs a thickener of some type. Isn't there a thickener from sea weed or am I thinking of gelatin. I'll also try cooking the sauce separate for awhile and see if that helps.

I discarded guar gum out of hand because of the name sounding like some synthesized chemical but after a quick wiki... it's natural!!!! yippeee. Thanks.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

The guar gum works quite well, but you have to be a little careful not to use too much. If you do, the food you are thickening can get a bit slimy.

[Chef Kevin]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

remember, the thickening process in most things is the gelatinization of the starch molecules. It is very difficult to find other ingredients that wll mimic these characteristics. Nothing thickens like a starch. But, with the carbs, they are not an option.
As for reducing to thicken, that is a possibility, but many people try to reduce sauces after they season them and then that causes the sauce to be overly salty, or spicy, or whatever. Reduction should be done BEFORE seasoning.

That's why we chefs do not season stocks and sauces until just before service.

If you reduce a sauce down until it coats the back of a spoon, it is called glace (pronounced gloss). It is a wonderful product, can be added to sauces to really enrich them.

To finish sauces, we monte au beurre them, or mount the sauce with butter. After the sauce is cooked, we turn the heat off, put a little butter in it, swirl it around, and that makes the sauce a bit thicker and glossy. MMMMMM......

As far as the gums go, they work, but in small amounts. I think they alter the texture of foods more than starches, but are lower in carbs. I don't use them much myself. I prefer to reduce sauces.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

I did a quick search and I found something called Konjac Flour. If you click on the title of the article it shows you the nutritional info which basically says, Carbs 3, Soluble fiber 3 and apparently 0 Calories. It's expensive though, at $19/ 500g.

Also look for "Glucomannan." You can get this in the vitamin section of most health food stores--you'll just have to break open the capsules. It works pretty well for thickening. This is what shiritake noodles are made from.

[timbrewolf1]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

I agree that reduction can cause over cooking. Obviously low heat and lots of time helps the equation. Good advice to season AFTER reduction too.

The ladies with the before and after pics are a real inspiration here. You look GREAT!

I need to get some "before" pics now - I weigh close to 250! When I graduated from high school I was 6' 135 pounds. I've come a long weigh baby.

[Chicklady]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

I like the "not starch" product. It is a combination of gums, but unlike the guar by itself, it breaks down better, and you get less of those "mom's lumpy gravy" outcomes.

[not2late]

Re: Alternative to corn starch?

If you remove the liquid from whatever you are cooking, and reduce it in another pot, it won't overcook whatever the solids are. I do that frequently.