Arrowroot powder is a starch thickener derived from the dried roots of the arrowroot plant, Maranta arundinacea. It originated with aborigines of West Indies and with the Arawak Tribe to cure arrow poisoning. This is how the name arrowroot was coined. The arrowroot plant is now predominantly grown in Brazil, Thailand, Bengal, Philippines, Mauritius and West Africa. The arrowroot plant is abundant in countries like Brazil, Thailand, Bengal, Philippines, Maritius and West Africa.
Arrowroot tubers are cleaned, washed twice and drained. It results to a milky liquid after pulverizing the pulp in a wooden mortar. Pure starch settles at the bottom after being filtered through a strainer. Clean water is added again, mixed, drained and placed on sheets to dry under the sun. After all that processing, arrowroot powder is ready to be packed in an air-tight containers or packages.
The characteristics of bulk arrowroot powder are similar to that of a cornstarch. Cornstarch and flour is as unscented, flavorless, and dry as arrowroot powder. It is chiefly used to give food a concentrated mixture like pie, pudding, jellies, and gravies or sauces. Starch thickeners are food additives that emulsifies when mixed with liquid at certain proportions. The color of the food remains uninterrupted after arrowroot powder is introduced.
It thickens in the presence of acidic preparations and works under low heat. Thickened sauces with arrowroot powder can stand up through thawing and freezing. It is recommended to avoid blending arrowroot powder with dairy as the outcome becomes greasy.
Starch substitutes may be used in lieu of Arrowroot namely, Tapioca Starch, Instant Clear Gel, Kudzu Powder, Potato Starch, Rice Starch and Flour. Some of these starches, however, may not produce the exact results as when the Arrowroot is used as an ingredient in a recipe.
Aside from being a food additive, this bulk herb is a practical replacement for wheat flour in several baked goods. Arrowroot is devoid of proteins as its basic composition is carbohydrates. This is the reason why food products made from arrowroot powder/flour is recommended for consumption by elders or infants with chronic stomach problems. Furthermore, the calcium content in arrowroot powder is sufficient to help the body in the regulation of acid and alkali balances.
Arrowroot has little protein making it popular among vegetarians and people with special diet needs. It is specifically used as an article of diet in the form of biscuits, pudding, jellies, and cakes. In Korea, arrowroot powder is incorporated in beef tea, milk, veal broth and noodles.
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