Arrowroot

Latin Name: Maranta arundinacea

Other Names: palua

Uses: starch

What is arrowroot?

Arrowroot is the name for the powdered (or sometimes granular) starch derived from maranta (Maranta arundinacea) or the prayer plant, a tropical forb in the Marantaceae family (a relative of the ginger family). Though arrowroot powder has been used for making everything from glue to carbonless copy paper, most people probably know it as a gluten-free food thickener. The plant called Chinese arrowroot, or kudzu, is a different plant in the pea family.

Why is arrowroot healthy?

Arrowroot starch doesn’t contain any gluten, so as a food thickener, it’s a good alternative to wheat flour for folks with a gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Arrowroot can theoretically be used for thickening raw, cold (less processed and more nutritious) fruit juices, because acidic foods don’t compromise its thickening power and it can jell at a lower temperature than cornstarch or wheat flour. Studies have been exploring arrowroot’s potential medicinal benefits, specifically in treating digestive disorders and diabetes. Arrowroot is easy to digest and has a higher protein content compared to other tubers. As it is high in resistant starch (which is a type of fiber), arrowroot can aid weight loss and support gut health and immune function.

What does arrowroot taste like?

Arrowroot powder is pretty much tasteless once it’s dissolved. This is one of its main advantages: The neutral flavor and clear color make arrowroot a great choice for thickening liquids with a lighter flavor. Fresh arrowroot has a subtle flavor, somewhat resembling that of a raw potato or water chestnut.

How do I use arrowroot?

You can use arrowroot powder similarly to agar, as a vegan gelatin. As with cornstarch, you’ll have the best results if you dissolve arrowroot starch in a cold liquid before stirring it into a hot liquid. (The dry powder can clump up if you add it directly to hot liquids.) Arrowroot starch will reverse course and loosen liquid if you heat it too much after it has jelled, so add arrowroot at the end of cooking, right before you serve. The powder dissolves clear, making it a good option if you don’t want a milky or cloudy end result. If you can find fresh arrowroot, peel the tough skin, then slice the root and add to stir-fries and sautés.

What does arrowroot pair well with?

Arrowroot powder pairs with just about anything you want it to—its only real purpose is thickening or jelling liquids without stealing focus. It’s going to work best with delicate foods, like panna cotta. (In that case, using arrowroot powder, instead of gelatin, would make a Victorian-style blancmange.)

Where does arrowroot grow?

Arrowroot likely originated in the Amazonian rain forest, and its native range still extends throughout Brazil and surrounding countries, reaching as far as Mexico to the northwest and Puerto Rico to the northeast. Arrowroot is still grown throughout the Caribbean, South America, South and Southeast Asia, southern China, and the South Pacific. The global leader in growing arrowroot and producing arrowroot powder is the tiny island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the West Indies.

How do I buy arrowroot?

Look for arrowroot powder in mainstream grocery stores and international markets. It’s typically shelved near alternative flours and cornstarch in the baking aisle. Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and it’ll be good for three to four years.

Fun arrowroot fact:

Arrowroot gets its name because some anthropologists think it was first used by Amazonians to remove toxins from arrow wounds. Arrowroot is also considered one of the earliest domesticated food plants of South America with archaeological evidence dating back as far as 8200 BC.