Cornflour giving you grief? Ever wonder why no matter how much cornflour you add, it still doesn’t thicken your soup or gravy? Well, there’s a very simple reason for it. You’re either over-heating or over-stirring it (or both!) Doing either of these will cause the starch to break down and lose its capability to absorb water and thicken the liquid.
Here are some tips to help you use cornflour the right way:
- Dissolve the cornflour in a few tsp of water to make a smooth, thick slurry (and remove any lumps).
- Bring the liquid (soup / gravy) to a boil and then simmer before adding in the cornflour.
- Pour the cornflour into the liquid 10-15 mins before serving. You may want to stir the slurry again before you do this. Stir the liquid gently while pouring it in.
- Boil for a couple of minutes and then reduce temperature as soon as the liquid starts to thicken. Cooking for too long will break down the starch and the liquid will thin out again.
- Keep stirring to a minimum after cornflour begins to set or you’ll see it lose its consistency.
It’s the beginning of summer in Australia so not the most ideal time to have soup. But that’s never stopped a soup-lover like me 😀
Happy cooking!!!
