Arrowroot flour

Arrowroot flour is a fine, starchy powder used mainly as a thickener rather than a stand-alone ingredient. Cooks whisk it into a small amount of cold water or broth to form a slurry before stirring it into hot sauces, gravies, fruit pie fillings, or stir-fry glazes, since adding the dry powder directly to a hot liquid causes clumping. It thickens at a lower temperature than flour and gives a clear, glossy finish rather than the cloudy look cornstarch can leave, which makes it a common substitute in gluten-free baking recipes and delicate fruit-based desserts.

Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry, where it keeps well for a long time since it contains almost no fat or moisture to go rancid or spoil. It is naturally very low in sodium at just 2 mg per 100 g, and its 88.2 g of carbohydrate per 100 g reflects its role as a concentrated starch rather than a source of protein or fat, both under 1 g per 100 g. It also provides 3.4 g of fiber per 100 g (12% DV), a modest bonus in a food used mostly a tablespoon or two at a time to thicken a dish, not eaten as a portion on its own.