An Ode to Maizena
Chances are you have a packet of this in your cupboard. Do you only use it to thicken sauces or soups? Then read on quickly, because cornstarch can make your dishes better and tastier in many more ways. So: an ode to Maizena.
Thickener
If your sauce or the liquid in your stew is still a little thin, Maizena is the answer. It’s important to first stir the powder into a small amount of cold water. In English, they call that a slurry – great word. If you sprinkle it in straight from the packet, you’ll get lumps. In Chinese cuisine, Maizena is used in almost every dish to transform watery substances into luscious sauces.
Loads of crunch
If you’re going for the ultimate crunch, the contents of the yellow packet are also the way to go. Ever since making this recipe, we never eat shrimp without first tossing them in Maizena. A kind of salt and pepper squid, but different. This technique also works if you want to make pieces of meat, chicken or vegetables extra crispy. You don’t need to coat them completely; a thin layer already produces impressive results. For our Korean fried chicken, we use a mix of flour, rice flour and Maizena for the crispiest exterior.
Sweet, sweeter, sweetest
Okay: technically still part of the thickener category, but there’s also so much to gain when it comes to sweets. You’ll never have to cut into a pie only to watch all the filling ooze out if you add a little Maizena (check out this blueberry pie, for example). And chocolate pudding or pastry cream would be nowhere without this favorite ingredient.
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