cooking question

[Tac]

Odd subject but I need to know:


What can I use to thicken a soup?

I dont want it to turn into a cream but more like a hearty stew / gravy like viscosity.

I'm cooking a soup a chinese friend of mine once gave me, I watched her make it and as it is now I have it on my pot and the taste is almost identical BUT.. mine is soup while hers had a thick texture.

I've tried some mashed potato flakes and it does give it the consistency I want but it also brings the unwanted potato flavor.

Suggestions?

[Becinhu]

powdered corn starch

dissolve a couple of spoonfuls in hot water then add to soup.

[DREDger]

You can cook it longer and reduce the water more, or add less when making it.

Corn starch is good.  You know flour makes gravy thicken.

Might consider milk.

[SPKmes]

Not sure if you can get it there...but arrowroot is a good thickener and has a little less taste than cornflour.

[druski85]

I use white flour, but make sure you add it very slowly and stir constantly, otherwise you will get little chunks of dough.  Depending on what kind it is, you can often get away with plain (NOT VANILLA) yogurt as well.  

[j500ss]

One more thing to know is this.  Reguardless of what thickening agent you use, it must come to a boil to reach its full potential. 

[Tac]

thanks. i got no corn starch but I got something similar.. ill try it.

[Tac]

worked. thnx all

[ROX]

It's always best (and thousands of years old Chinese method) to mix equal parts corn starch and water and stir to form a semi-solid.  If your making say, a soup with a gallon or so of liquid, to start out with a Tablespoon of corn starch to a tablespoon (plus a little more) of water.  Mix it together and pour it into the soup while stirring.  If it's not thick enough to your liking continue the 1 to 1 until it is (usually around 3 total).

One note is that it wont start to thicken until the soup is at or around the boiling point.  It's a science thing, I guess.

You can use the exact same method to thicken your own home-made hot sauces or any other sauce besides gravy which works best with flour...but that's a whole other process.  The flour for gravy HAS to be added to liquid that is COLD.

Good luck!



ROX

[Anodizer]

My culinary training tells me that you should use Arrow Root(like SP said)..  If you can't find Arrow Root(should be fairly easy to find though) you can put a little bit of flour in
some cold water, give it a good stir, and put it in the soup(add as much as needed until desire thickness)..  Corn starch will alter the flavor significantly enough for you to know the difference..  It will also cause your digestive system to go into over drive if you use too much(especially if you have digestive problems)..  Corn starch has it's uses, but is a "cheap" way out when it comes to thickening considering there are better methods that won't alter the taste..  Ever notice how most Chinese food tastes the same(for the most part) no matter where you go?  It's because they use cornstarch (as well as MSG) in everything..  It's a lot less expensive than Arrow Root(which is used in traditional Asian cooking, ROX..  Corn starch wasn't invented until 1840, sir.. ), and most of us American's don't know the difference since most of us have never had anything else to compare to.. 

But yeah, dude.....  Arrow Root is the way to go...

[68ZooM]

Odd subject but I need to know:


What can I use to thicken a soup?

I dont want it to turn into a cream but more like a hearty stew / gravy like viscosity.

I'm cooking a soup a chinese friend of mine once gave me, I watched her make it and as it is now I have it on my pot and the taste is almost identical BUT.. mine is soup while hers had a thick texture.

I've tried some mashed potato flakes and it does give it the consistency I want but it also brings the unwanted potato flavor.

Suggestions?

If she's Chinese most likely its corn starch, you use very little to get the desired texture, to much and you have gelatin soup lol   They use corn starch for almost all there cooking.

[ROX]

Mr Adonizer, there have been forms of starch used in cooking whether made of corn, wheat, potato, rice, or even locally and available dried root and tubers since the dawn of time.  Corn starch is widely used today because it's cheap and on most store shelves.



ROX