Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> How do the thickening powers of, say, cornstarch, arrowroot, and flour
> differ? Not what the outcome looks like or how it keeps, but how they
> relate in thickening power. I.e., if it takes 1 tbsp of flour to
> thicken x amount of liquid, it will take how much arrowroot to produce
> the same thickness in the same amount of liquid?

flour (as roux)= 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups liquid
potato starch= 1 tablespoon per cup liquid
tapioca starch= 1 tablespoon per cup liquid
cornstarch= 1 tablespoon to 1 1/2 to 2 cups liquid
arrowroot= 1 tablespoon to 2 cups liquid

They don't all have the same effects. Potato starch will be more
opaque than the rest, but it will thin out with boiling. Tapioca
starch will become stringy if not handled properly. Arrowroot will be
the shiniest.

Happy thickeners

Pastorio