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Tapioca starch is a type of flour commonly used in many cooking recipes. However, not everyone knows exactly what tapioca starch is? How to use tapioca starch and distinguish it from other common types of flour. To find the answers to these questions, check out the article below by Mytour!
1. What is Tapioca Starch?
Tapioca starch is a type of starch made from cassava roots. Depending on the region, tapioca starch may be called cassava starch or flour. The starch is white, fine, and has a silky texture. When cooked, the starch becomes translucent, thick, sticky, and has a high elasticity.
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In terms of composition, tapioca flour contains 95% starch and hardly any fiber or protein. The moisture content of the flour is about 13% while its whiteness reaches up to 92%. Tapioca flour is considered a safe ingredient in cooking, but due to its high starch content, individuals with obesity or diabetes should limit its consumption.
2. What are the Effects of Tapioca Flour? Benefits of Tapioca Flour You Should Know
After learning what tapioca flour is, you should also be interested in its specific effects. Due to its high viscosity and binding properties, tapioca flour is trusted by many home cooks and professional chefs alike for cooking. From home kitchens to upscale Asian and European restaurants, tapioca flour is an essential ingredient for creating delicious and enticing dishes. Some tapioca flour recipes you can consider include: tapioca dumplings, wife cakes, pig skin cakes, soups, thick sauces, and more.
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Moreover, tapioca flour is also a crucial component in preparing some familiar frozen foods, often used for hot pot dipping such as: fish cakes, fish balls, sausages, and spring rolls. In some cases, tapioca flour is also the primary ingredient for making various types of pearls for bubble tea or desserts.
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Mytour suggests:
- What delicious treats can you make with tapioca flour?
3. How to differentiate tapioca flour from some other types of flour
The world of flour offers countless varieties, and that's why sometimes distinguishing between different types of flour can be perplexing. Especially with flour types that appear quite similar to the naked eye, such as tapioca flour, wheat flour, rice flour, and corn flour. So how do you differentiate them? Check out some information below from Mytour.
Tapioca Flour and Wheat Flour
Compared to wheat flour, tapioca flour has a coarser texture. When mixed with water, tapioca flour has a higher viscosity whereas wheat flour expands and becomes lighter. In terms of color, wheat flour tends to be darker. Flour is also a key ingredient in making bread and various types of pastries.
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- You might be interested: What delicious treats can you make with wheat flour?
Tapioca Flour and Rice Flour
Distinguishing between tapioca flour and rice flour is relatively straightforward. In terms of color, rice flour is usually more translucent while tapioca flour has a higher level of whiteness. The texture of rice flour is also coarser and drier compared to tapioca flour. Rice flour is not as elastic, so it is often used in making dishes that require a chewy texture such as rice cakes, Vietnamese pancakes, and soup cakes.
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Tapioca Flour and Corn Flour
What are the differences between corn flour and tapioca flour? Corn flour is made from the white heart of corn kernels, while tapioca flour is made from cassava starch. Corn flour is fine, light, and quite silky. It also has adhesive and viscous properties but not as thick and abundant as tapioca flour. In cooking, corn flour is often used as a coating for frying, in preparing various sauces, or as an ingredient in sponge cakes.
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Here are some basic information answering the question what is tapioca flour. Mytour Blog hopes that through this sharing, you will gain more new knowledge and practice in your kitchen.
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