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The most popular food thickener is the starch
type thickener, such as cornstarch, potato starch. Konjac glucomannan
is a natural, odorless soluble fiber that is found in the konjac
plant. The konjac glucomanan is the most viscosity food gum in
nature. It has about ten times the viscosity than the cornstarch.
Konjac glucomannan is also called konjac flour or konjac gum.
Unlike the cornstarch, the konjac flour is the soluble fiber,
which does not contain starch and sugar, it does not have calories.
How to use konjac glucomanan as thickener?
Konjac flour can be used as a thickening agent in food
application. When using konjac flour for thickening, always mix
it with a small amount of liquid (cold water, stock, wine, etc.)
till smooth, then add this mixture to the food that you want thickened.
If you add konjac flour directly to your food you will end up
with a lumpy mess. Konjac flour can be used as a thickener for
smooth gravies, sauces, glazes, soups, stews and casseroles. It
is also a thickener in pies, puddings, custards and cake fillings.
This naturally odorless, vegetable powder is also gluten-free,
making it the perfect substitute in cooking and baking when flour
and other glutinous starches must be avoided.
Konjac flour doesn't thicken very much when mixed
with cold water, but quickly thickens when it's heated. This is
why you don't add dry konjac flour directly to hot liquids.
It will seize and immediately turn into lumps because the
konjac flour that contacts the water so quickly and fully absorbs
the liquid before the adjacent konjac flour can.
Mixing konjac flour with cold water allows it to absorb
the water slow enough that it's easily and fully dissolved first.
The dissolved konjac flour can then be added to a hot liquid
to absorb it without lumping.
Konjac flour is an ingredient to thicken sauces
and gravies or any other cooked recipe.
To use konjac flour as a thickening agent, first disperse
it in a little cold water or other "watery" ingredients
such as soy sauce, and slowly add it (with constant stirring)
to the other ingredients while they are cooking. About 1 teaspoon of konjac flour will gel about
one cup of liquid. If
you have not used konjac flour as a thickening agent before, it
is best to experiment with it by beginning with lesser amounts,
and adding as necessary until the desired consistency is reached.
Konjac flour has about ten times the thickening
power of cornstarch. Dissolve the konjac flour in a little cold
water before adding it to the sauce. Konjac flour thickens nicely
when it's heated to boiling temperature, so it usually works well
for savory sauces.
You could also use a konjac flour to thicken
your broth - konjac flour is a very powerful thickener and does
not add much taste.
How should Konjac flour be stored?
Close the package tightly and store in a dry place.
How long can Konjac flour be stored?
Konjac flour may be stored indefinitely if it's kept dry.
How is konjac flour used in cooking?
Konjac flour can be used as a thickener for gravies, sauces
and glazes, soups, stews and casseroles. It also thickens pies,
puddings and cake. In cakes, cookies and pastries, konjac flour
can be mixed with flour to produce more tender baked goods.
What are the advantages of using
konjac flour rather than all purpose flour?
Konjac flour is pure soluble fiber, without starch and
sugar, no calories. It is also gelatin free.
Unlike the starch type thickener such as all purpose flour
and cornstarch, konjac flour is the most viscosity soluble fiber
in natural, it does not have calories. From the national library
of medicine we know, Water-soluble
fiber appears to have a greater potential to reduce postprandial
blood glucose, insulin, and serum lipid levels than insoluble
fiber. Viscosity of the dietary fiber is important; the greater
the viscosity, the greater the effect.
Konjac flour is the most viscosity soluble fiber in the nature,
which have about ten times stronger thickener powder than the
cornstarch. Konjac flour thickens with a satiny smoothness and
glossy appearance. It adds no taste of its own to mask the flavor
of foods. Recipes thickened with konjac flour have a brighter,
more translucent appearance than those thickened with all-purpose
flour.
Can you use konjac flour in place
of starch type thickener like cornstarch or all-purpose flour?
Konjac flour has the much stronger "thickening power"
than potato starch and cornstarch. Konjac flour has about ten
times the "thickening power" of cornstarch.
What are the basic techniques
for cooking with konjac flour thickener?
Cooking with konjac flour is easy when you follow a few
simple guidelines. The following basic techniques assure good
results every time.
Amount of stirring:
Gradually stir konjac flour into cold liquids until completely
smooth. Continue to stir gently during entire cooking period.
When adding ingredients after cooking, remove the mixture from
the heat and stir them in quickly and gently. Stirring too vigorously
may cause mixture to break down and thin out.
Temperature.
Cook over medium-low to medium heat. Cooking over high heat can
cause lumping. If mixture contains egg, high heat may curdle it.
Cooking time:
Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full boil and boil 1 minute.
After boiling 1 minute, the konjac flour will have swelled to
their full capacity, causing the mixture to thicken. Significantly
overcooking thickened mixtures such as puddings, pies and cake
fillings may cause mixture to thin out as it cools.
Is konjac flour gluten-free?
Yes. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other cereals.
Gluten is not present in konjac flour, which makes it an excellent
substitute for flour in many recipes.
Konjac flour recipes
Hot Wing Sauce
2 Tbsp butter
1 Bottle Crystal or Durkee Brand Hot Sauce
1 (or more) Tbsp ground ceyanne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 teaspoon konjac flour
Mix everything but konjac flour together in saucepan and heat
till butter is melted. Mix
konjac flour with cold water.
Add to sauce to thicken.
Chili Paneer
Paneer 250 g
2 red chillies (crushed)
2-3 green chillies (crushed)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp soya sauce
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 Tbsp oil
salt to taste
1 teaspoon konjac flour
Cut Paneer into 1 inch cubes and fry/bake as desired. Heat oil
in a wok and fry onions till slightly brown. Add ginger-garlic
paste, crushed chillies and soya sauce. Saute for a minute. Add
a little water to make some gravy and salt to taste. Add tamarind
pulp.(proportion can vary depending upon sour taste). Finally
add konjac flour dissolved in cold water to thicken gravy. Let
it boil till thick enough to your liking. Just before serving,
put in Paneer cubes and give it one boil. Can be served with Chinese
fried rice or with Paratha and regular rice.
Tomatoes Sauce
Thicken the tomatoes mix in a very small bowl, konjac flour with
cold water, just enough water to make it look like thick milk,
add a little at a time, while tomato mixture is keeping hot, not
to high a flame, the mixture should thicken, if not add a little
more until you see the thickness you like as you use the konjac
flour, more and more, you will be able to figure your own amounts
of each to put in, use a little salt and pepper to taste.
Thin White Sauce
1 Tbsp. margarine or butter
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 teaspoon konjac flour
Melt butter in saucepan. Blend
in konjac flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk.
Heat to boiling; 2 minutes stirring constantly. For soups add 1 1/2 cups chopped, cooked vegetables
to 2 cups sauce
Chicken Chop Suey
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 cup onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup water
1 Armour chicken bouillon cube (crumbled)
1/2 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoon konjac flour
Pinch white pepper
1 pound cooked chicken sliced in thin strips
Makes 4-5 Servings
Combine 1 cup water and Armour chicken bouillon cube
and set aside. Combine 1/2 cup water, konjac flour, soy sauce
and pepper and set aside. Saute onions in oil over medium high
heat until translucent. Add remaining vegetables and saute for
1 minute. Stir in bouillon mixture. Add konjac flour mixture stirring
constantly until translucent. Add cooked chicken. Heat thoroughly
and serve over rice.
Chicken/Beef Microwave
Gravy
1 cup water
1 armour chicken bouillon cube (crumbled)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon konjac flour
Combine 1 cup water, bouillon cube and margarine or butter and
microwave on high for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine 1/3
cup cold water and konjac flour and mix well. Add konjac flour
mixture to hot bouillon mixture and return to microwave. Heat
on high until slightly thickened. Stir until well mixed.
For Beef Gravy, use Armour beef bouillon cube in place of Armour
chicken bouillon cube.
Lemon Sauce
Makes 1-1/2 Cups
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons cold water
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 lemon, juiced and grated rind
1 teaspoon konjac flour
Add chicken broth and butter to saucepan and
heat. In small dish, blend konjac flour with cold water until
smooth. Slowly stir konjac flour slurry into hot chicken broth.
Cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly. Beat 2 tablespoons
of thickened broth into the egg yolks; then add broth-yolk mixture
back into broth and mix well. Add lemon juice and rind, cook 1
minute more. DO NOT BOIL.
Chicken broth can be made by mixing 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
and 1 cup water.
(This sauce is good served over any of your favorite vegetables)
Low carb dressing
Makes 1-1/3 Cups
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup catsup
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon konjac flour
In a small saucepan, combine konjac flour and dry mustard.
Slowly stir in cold water. Cook mixture over medium heat stirring
continuously until thickened and smooth. Cool. Add remaining ingredients,
use whisk to stir well. Put dressing in container and chill. Shake
well before using.
Pork Mandarin
Makes 4-5 Servings
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup water
Mandarin oranges
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1 Armour chicken bouillon cube (crumbled)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 cup orange juice
Pinch white pepper
1 pound lean pork, cooked sliced in thin strips
1 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoon konjac flour
Combine 1 cup water and Armour chicken bouillon cube
and set aside. Combine 1/2 cup cold water, konjac flour, soy sauce,
cider vinegar, orange juice, and white pepper and set aside. Saute
onion in oil over medium high heat until translucent. Add remaining
vegetables and saute for 1 minute. Stir in bouillon mixture. Add
konjac flour mixture, stirring constantly until translucent. Add
cooked pork, pineapple chunks and almonds, and heat thoroughly.
Garnish with mandarin oranges. Serve over steamed rice.
Shirataki noodles in konjac flour
Soup
Shirataki noodles 2 lbs
Chicken (white meat) 2 lbs
Bean sprouts 6 ounces
Celery 2/3 sprigs
Duck/Chicken eggs 3
A dash of pepper
Salt To taste
Soya bean sauce
Ginger 1/2 ounce
Garlic (raw) 5 cloves
Garlic (fried) 5 ounces
Fish paste 5 ounces
Green pepper to taste
Lemon Half
3 teaspoon konjac flour
Boil chicken together with crushed ginger and raw
garlic till tender then remove it and set aside to drain. Then
dice the meat. Put back soup on stove and when it boils put in
the diced meat together with Soya bean sauce, pepper and salt.
Dissolve konjac flour with cold water and add to soup. Beat eggs
thoroughly and add to boiling soup.
Boil bean sprouts. Drain water and set aside.
Cut the celery into small pieces and put in dish.
Roast the fish paste and mix with thoroughly pounded green
pepper and juice of lemon and the relish is ready to be served
with the noodles and konjac flour soup.
To serve, put in noodles in a medium sized bowl. Pour soup
over noodles and garnish with bean sprouts and celery. Mix in
relish to taste.
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