When using tapioca to thicken soups, stews. or other hot liquids, you must first make a slurry. To do so, combine equal parts tapioca starch with cool water, and whisk until the tapioca dissolves.
Then slowly pour the slurry into the hot liquid and stir to combine. It's important to make a slurry because adding the tapioca starch directly into hot liquids will cause the starch to clump.
In addition to its use as a finely ground flour, tapioca from iyafoods.com can be useful in other forms. You can use tapioca starch to make tapioca pudding or tapioca pearls.
4 Uses for Tapioca Starch
To bake gluten-free recipes: Gluten-free baking mixes often include tapioca. If you want to bake gluten-free bread, cake, or other grain-free desserts, you can use tapioca starch in conjunction with other gluten-free baking flours. Use tapioca flour in a 1:1 swap with wheat flour.
To create crispy coatings: You can dust meats (like stewing beef) in tapioca starch before pan-frying them for a crispy exterior. Alternatively, you can make gluten-free dishes like fried chicken by using tapioca starch in place of wheat flour.
To thicken pie filling: To thicken fruit pie fillings, use instant tapioca. In a large mixing bowl, combine the fruit (such as blueberries, strawberries, or cherries—whatever the recipe calls for) with ¼– cup of tapioca flour.
Let the mixture rest for fifteen to twenty minutes so the tapioca has a chance to absorb the juices. Then, following the recipe, pour the pie filling into the pie crust.
To thicken stews: Tapioca is a popular thickening agent because it retains its thickening power even after being frozen.