Italian · IV The Method
Starch Gelatinisation: Structure and Thickening
I
Origin
McGee's treatment of starch gelatinisation explains why sauces thicken, why bread has structure, why custards set, and why pasta is al dente — all through the same underlying chemistry. Understanding starch as a structural and thickening material rather than merely a carbohydrate transforms approach to every sauce, baked good, and cooked grain.
II
Description
A framework for starch gelatinisation — the process by which starch granules absorb water, swell, and rupture when heated, releasing amylose and amylopectin molecules that form a network trapping water and producing viscosity.
III
The Thread
—Japanese kuzu starch (same gelatinisation principle — extremely clear, delicate gel), Korean potato starch noodles (same starch network — dangmyeon), Chinese cornstarch velveting (same starch gelatini
IV
Flavour Context
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Pillars V — VII
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