Substitute for cornstarch?!


Question: I'm making vegetarian chili from this recipe - http://busycooks.about.com/od/hotsouprec... It's meant for a crockpot, but I want to do it just in a big pot on the stove. Would I need the cornstarch - how would I vary the ingredients or would you not recommend doing this on the stove?


Answers: I'm making vegetarian chili from this recipe - http://busycooks.about.com/od/hotsouprec... It's meant for a crockpot, but I want to do it just in a big pot on the stove. Would I need the cornstarch - how would I vary the ingredients or would you not recommend doing this on the stove?

I have never put a thickener into my chili, no cornstarch flour or anything. If you cook it nice and slow for a long time it will get nice and thick on it's own.

The cornstarch is to thicken the chili - I find a palmful of crushed corn tortillas works just as well in chili when I don't have cornstarch. Also, I sometimes make chili on the stove instead of the crock pot. I prefer the crockpot just b/c I can leave the house while it's cooking, but the stove (covered, on low) works just as well.

Flour is a substitute. You may not need a thickener in chili, I make mine on the stove and I don't use one.

you don't have to use cornstarch to thicken it.
you can reduce it down and it will prob be fine.
another thickening alternative is a beurre manié instead
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 tablespoon [ all-purpose flour
Thoroughly mix together butter and flour, to get a smooth paste. Add a little of the cooking liquid then stir into the chili.
cook it a bit longer for it to thicken.

I would brown and drain the meat then add evrything else, let it simmer for about 20 min then add the cornstarch and water and keep stirring it to thicken it (if you want it thicker) If you don't want to thicken it leave out the cornstarch.. If you don't have cornstarch you can use twice as much flour (i.e. 1Tbl cornstarch=2Tbl flour) Enjoy!!!

to thicken the chilli you can use flour!





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