Finishing
Starch Slurry Finish
Mix starch with cold water and stir it into a simmering pot. The sauce thickens and clings to the food.
Key Points
Always mix the starch with cold water first. Pour it into moving liquid, never into a still pot. Boil for one full minute after adding.
Common Failures
Adding dry starch straight to the pot makes lumps instantly. Stopping the heat too soon leaves a raw floury taste behind.
Do this
Mix starch and cold water in a cup. Stir the pot into a slow circle. Pour the slurry into the moving liquid in a thin line. Keep stirring.
Why it works
Starch grains swell and burst at about 80C. That bursting is what thickens. Below that the mixture stays cloudy and raw tasting.
When to skip it
Skip it for a clear soup you want to stay clear. Reducing the liquid gives body without changing how it looks.
