Starch is the most widely used thickening and textural agent in cooking — present in every sauce thickened with roux, every custard stabilised with cornstarch, every potato that turns mealy or waxy depending on its amylose content. Understanding the two primary starch polymers (amylose and amylopectin) and their different behaviours under heat, cool, and time transforms starch from a mysterious ingredient into a predictable material.
Modernist Cuisine