Chinese Starch Thickening — Gou Qian Science
Universal Chinese culinary technique
Gou qian (勾芡) — the Chinese art of starch thickening — transforms cooking liquid into a glossy, clingy sauce that coats ingredients uniformly. Unlike Western roux or cream reductions, Chinese starch slurry is added at the last moment to a nearly-finished dish, creating instant glossy sauce. Technique critical for hot and sour soup, mapo tofu, and all braised dishes.