| Flour or starch as it is sometimes known, is used in Chinese cooking. Cornflour, rice flour, potato flour, tapioca starch and water chestnut flour are all used to thicken sauces, dust and coat meat or vegetables.
Cornflour
Sometimes known as cornstarch it is made from corn kernels. Blended with water and flavourless, it is added to dishes at the end of the cooking process. Also used to dust meat before deep frying, resulting in a crispy coating. It does not stand up to freezing or prolonged cooking. 
Rice Flour
Ground rice flour is used in making noodles, cakes and pastries, gluten free it is ideal for making bread and babyfood.
Glutinous Rice Flour
Finely ground glutinous rice flour is used to make Oriental cakes and pastries. Cooked glutinous rice flour is very sticky and tacky and is usually combined with red bean paste or coconut milk to make delicious cakes.
Potato Flour
Made from cooked potatoes this flour cooks up a little thicker than cornflour, so use carefully. Mainly used as a thickening agent, potato flour is gluten free.
Tapioca Starch
This is the best starch to use for dusting and frying as food dusted in tapioca starch stays crispy longer, even after it has cooled down. It is also the best flour to use if food is to be frozen as it remains thick on defrosting. Use sparingly when thickening sauces as it can be very gelationous.
Arrow Root
Used to thicken sauces, juices and syrups where a lighter, more transparent sheen is required.
Water Chestnut Flour
Made from ground water chestnuts the Chinese use this flour in the same way as arrowroot is used; to thicken fine soups and stocks.
Mung Bean Flour
This flour is used to make transparent thread vermicelli, sometimes known as cellophane or glass noodles. Combined with brown sugar and coconut milk it is an ingredient in many South East Asian deserts.
Gluten
Gluten is made by washing the starch out of wheat flour dough which results in a concentrated dough. Mainly used as a meat substitute in Chinese vegetarian cooking, it absorbs the flavours of the sauce it is cooked or seasoned with. Sold in tins as 'mock' chicken, duck or other meat.
Wanton Wrapppers
A chilled or frozen pastry skin used to wrap a mixture of meat and vegetables. Made from wheat flour, eggs, baking soda and water it is only available from Wing Yip stores. Filled skins are dropped into soups and fried as snacks or starters.
Spring Roll Skins
Made from rice flour, water and salt there are two types of skins available - dried and frozen. The frozen version popular in Chinese cuisine, is used for spring rolls and samosas. The dried product is usually used to make Vietnamese spring rolls.
Vietnamese Spring Roll Skins
These dried transparent spring roll wrappers are used to make the Vietnamese version of spring rolls. To regenerate these wrappers, dip in water one at a time, or place on a clean towel and spray with a fine mist of water.
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