# Frying with cornstarch



## foleyisgood (Feb 28, 2008)

I encountered this for the first time recently looking a Korean cookbook. I had never thought of using it as a coating but apparently it works. 

I was wondering what kind of results you would get compared to flour and other dredges/batters.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Many chinese dishes are starched first, I call it velvatizing. 
It seals in all flavor and makes the product shiny and appealing to the eye. It also helps hold any seasoning that you put on before cooking to stay on the product. 
I also add a drop odf starch to all my batters for frying as the starch seals right away and helps the item to be less greasy or oily.


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## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

if you have ever had lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork or general chicken then you have had a breaded in cornstarch and fried item. obviously done right, it's delicious.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I've seen Gordon Ramsay use corn starch as well. But before I go ahead and do it, are there any tips? Is it used just like flour? Does it impart taste? Would one use it for fried chicken?


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## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

it's fairly close to using flour but it is easier to get large, clumpy or chewy pieces using cornstarch. So be sure to get a light but even coating. I also wouldn't advise it for large pieces of chicken or meat, so no to the fried chicken. you'll find that cornstarch is mainly used for small cut meats to get a light crispy shell and provide a medium for those lovely asian sauces (some also thickened with cornstarch) to adhere to.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

It's also great for tempura - google some recipes, plenty out there. The lumpiness is what you do want it for in this case, gives a lovely coating for small pieces of food - seafood, chicken, meat, vegetables. To me it has virtually a neutral taste, and none of that uncooked taste that flour can have.

If you are using it for thickening a sauce, mix it into a slurry with COLD water, not hot (it will go like glue and be useless) making sure you stir it at the last moment before putting it into the liquid you want to thicken as the cornflour settles to the bottom quite quickly, then stir like mad  once you've put it into the liquid, or you'll end up with a big lump.

I use it all the time in place of flour, or to replace some of the flour in breading foods, gives a lighter result.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Buy yourself a box of Arrowroot, it works same way cornstarch does but it yields a much finer product smoother


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## foleyisgood (Feb 28, 2008)

this person speaks the truth

arrowroot is more expensive though, but tbh it is worth it.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Thanks Ed.

Only trouble with arrowroot is I've found the sauce doesn't hold together for as long as the cornflour/cornstarch. It does give a clearer finish to the sauce to be true. Haven't tried it for tempura yet, but will give it a go.

Thanks again.

Daina


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## foleyisgood (Feb 28, 2008)

*gasp*

I have always had arrowroot stay together.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Many years ago (I will refrain from saying how many), I bought a box of water chestnut starch (or did it say "powder"?) and used it to coat pieces of chicken, beef and pork for wok frying. I don't remember using it to thicken a sauce, though. 

Has anyone used that product more recently than 1976? (Oops! That just slipped out...:blush


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