勾芡

gōuqiàn

verb

Meanings

1 to thicken with cornstarch slurry
2 to add a starch thickener to a sauce

Characters

starch thickener

Examples

出锅前勾芡，汤汁会更浓。

Chūguō qián gōuqiàn, tāng zhī huì gèng nóng.

Thicken with cornstarch before plating and the sauce will be richer.

勾芡的时候要一边搅一边倒。

Gōuqiàn de shíhou yào yìbiān jiǎo yìbiāndào.

When thickening, stir while pouring the slurry in.

Tips

usage

芡 (qiàn) refers to the starch slurry itself, usually 水淀粉 (cornstarch mixed with cold water). 勾 means to draw/hook in. Skipping this step leaves Chinese braises watery.

Stroke Order

勾 gōu

芡 qiàn