Bbinding agent from Asian cuisine
The fine "goo" on many dishes is familiar from Asian restaurants: sauces and marinades often have a jelly-like taste, but do not contain gelatine. This is particularly good news for vegans and vegetarians! Instead of using the gelling agent made from animal ingredients that is very common in Europe, the special, sticky consistency that is much appreciated by many connoisseurs is achieved using plant-based binding agents such as agar agar. Arrowroot starch and tapioca starch are also vegetarian or vegan binding agents that are used in Asian cuisine. These and other binding agents for Asian cuisine should not be missing from the basic inventory.
Of course, the organic binding agents from this category can also be used beyond Asian cuisine!
Even though the organic binding agents that we have summarized in this section are often used in Asian cuisine, they can of course be used far beyond that. As already mentioned above, they are a welcome alternative to gelatine, especially for vegetarians and vegans. You can find out which binding agent is best for which dish by trying it out yourself or by using the numerous tips in cookbooks and on culinary websites. We have already listed some tips in our brief overview below.
Overview of various organic binders
Here we briefly introduce the different organic binding agents from the ALLBIO range:
Arrowroot strength
The starch obtained from arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), a tuberous tropical root, is an excellent binding agent.
This binding agent works particularly well in sauces and soups, in groats and creams, as well as in other semi-solid dishes. It is tasteless and can also be used as an egg substitute when it comes to achieving a typical consistency (particularly interesting for vegans!). Arrowroot starch is a gluten-free binding agent. The product description of the organic arrowroot starch from Arche, which we sell, describes exactly how to use the product - it is uncomplicated and produces good results!
Tapioca
Tapioca starch is extracted from the cassava root. This root has an old tradition in South America. The extremely starchy root – it contains about twice as much starch as the potato – was already cultivated by the Maya.
Nowadays, tapioca (not only as starch, but in all its forms, ie also as pearls or flakes) plays a major role, especially in Brazil. But tapioca starch is used extensively not only in South American, but also in Asian cuisine.
Tapioca starch is as finely ground as powdered sugar. It can be used for soups, sauces and desserts, but also for baking. In the product description of the Arche tapioca starch available from us, you can read how easy the organic tapioca starch is to process.
Agar Agar
Agar agar is a substance from red algae (it occurs in various types of red algae). The pale yellow powder is able to bind surprisingly large amounts of water. This gives it the ability to thicken liquids. Like some other binding agents, agar agar only dissolves when exposed to heat; when it cools, the gelling effect occurs. Agar agar is very economical and, like our other binding agents, does not affect the taste of the food. In addition to organic agar agar powder from the manufacturer Rapunzel, we also offer agar agar from Arche, including flakes. Agar agar (and the guar gum described below) can also be used well as part of a low-carb diet, in which, for example, cornstarch is of course less suitable.
Guar gum
This vegan binding agent or thickener is obtained from the seeds of the guar plant (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus). This crop is from the legume family and is mainly grown in India and Pakistan, although its origin is believed to be in Central Africa. Guar gum is sometimes also called guar, guar flour or guar gum. It has certain similarities to carob gum, but should not be confused with it. Practical: guar gum also dissolves in cold liquid. The tasteless thickener guar gum can be used for soups, sauces and desserts and is also often used in ready-made products, which is why many people also know the name from the ingredient lists of various industrial foods such as ketchup, ice cream and much more. At ALLBIO you can find organic quality guar gum.
Kuzu
Kuzu is a binding agent that is valued for its almost completely neutral taste. It provides a wonderfully creamy consistency and if you look closely, you will see a subtle silver sheen on dishes to which Kuzu has been added. As the Japanese name suggests, this binding agent comes from Asian cuisine and is even described in great detail in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). There it is classified as a digestive regulating agent and as generally calming, and Kuzu is also said to have other interesting properties. It is used as a home remedy for colds, among other things. The Kudzu plant (Pueraria montana) is a climbing plant native to Japan, China and Korea with tendrils that are often several meters long and can form immensely large root tubers. These provide the starch flour known as Kuzu.
Kuzu is dissolved in cold water, but can then also be added to warm dishes such as soups to thicken them - or it can be used for puddings and other desserts. It is considered a particularly fine binding agent.
Corn starch
Cornstarch is a classic binding agent that has long been known in European cuisine. Cornstarch can be used not only for soups and desserts, but also for baked goods. It can be used to make fine-pored doughs, such as sponge cake or shortcrust pastry. The term "cornstarch" is used exclusively for cornstarch. In the ALLBIO range, we offer organic cornstarch, which is supplied by the manufacturer Arche. As with the other organic binding agents from Arche, detailed instructions for use can be found in the product description.
The right organic binder for every purpose
The large selection shows that everyone can find the right binding agent to thicken their favorite dishes from Asian cuisine and other culinary styles, as well as for baking - be it for puddings and desserts or soups and sauces or for a wide variety of pastries. Vegans and low-carb fans can also easily find the right organic binding agent here. Good results can be achieved very easily with all of the organic binding agents available from us.
