[/caption]Well, arrowroot is one of those things used in culinary endeavors that I have found many, many home cooks are not aware of. Arrowroot is a white powdery substance that looks and feels like cornstarch but actually comes from a plant called the Marantha Arundinacea. The plant hails from the West Indies and is also referred to as Marantha Starch, Obedience Plant, and Bermuda Arrowroot. It is a perennial plant and grows in Brazil and Thailand.
One of the most common uses for arrowroot is as a thickener for sauces and stews and makes an excellent glaze in Chinese food recipes. It is widely used in deserts like pudding and jellos and lends no flavor to the foods it is mixed with. In contrast, many other thickeners a cook or chef can use do impart a certain taste or flavor to the foods they are used on. It is used widely in homemade ice cream because it prevents the formation of ice crystals in the ice cream.
In the West Indies a people known as the Arawak used the arrowroot to pull toxins from the wounds of warriors that they got from the poison arrows of their enemies. Many people believe that this is how arrowroot got it's name. As with many herbs and spices in your cupboard, arrowroot should be stored in a cool dry place and the temperature should not get about 70-75 degrees.
The secret of arrowroot is that it thickens at a lower temperature than other thickeners that are either flour or cornstarch based and it does not have the same caloric count as the other thickeners either. (Give me beurre manie anyday!) Remember, when using arrowroot that you have to mix it in cool liquid before you add it to hot liquids. As a general rule 2tsp of arrowroot will substitute for 1 Tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tsp of arrowroot will substitute for 1 Tbsp of flour.
Arrowroot is supposedly good for relief of gastrointestinal disorders like upset stomach and diahhrea. It has also been reported to have deodorizing and antibacterial properties. It supposedly can be used after a bath to aid against rashes, acne, and to absorb moisture and it leaves your skin really smooth. At least that is what my girlfriend tells me. Matter of fact she tells me that many people use arrowroot in place of talc, cornstarch, tapioca starch, potato starch or even rice starch/flour for the skin.
Special Note: If you have gluten allergies and you like to eat and bake bread but can't because of the gluten then you will be happy to know that you can use arrowroot in place of wheat flour in your baking.
I just love reading your blog. You are so informative and so many
ReplyDeleteof the things you write about are worth knowing no matter how much or how little we cook. It saves me time searching the net for info on herbs, spices etc. So much of what you discuss is really needed by all cooks.
Thank you.
m. lee
I forgot to add that I am gluten sensitive and you really helped me with your information about arrowroot. Boy! This is a break for me. Now I can bake again.
ReplyDeleteAgain, Thanks!