Cornstarch/Cornflour where am i going wrong?

[CharlieD]

BUt the original question was about flour.

[Douzer77]

Hmmm, i always thought cornstarch and cornflour was one in the same thing!. its definately cornflour i'm working with! would cornstarch be easier to work with?

[Andy M.]

I believe you are right. What we in the US call corn starch, is referred to as corn flour in other parts of the world.

Check this out.

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

BUt the original question was about flour.

It was about cornstarch

[CharlieD]

Providing Andy's coment, I see how the question as about cornstarch. Little did I know that people call starch - flour, or is it other way around, I'm confused.

[Caine]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

Providing Andy's coment, I see how the question as about cornstarch. Little did I know that people call starch - flour, or is it other way around, I'm confused.

You had to look at the location of the questioner. In Europe, the terms are interchangeable, but in the U.S., particularly the southwest U.S., corn flour, or masa harina, which is made from dried corn which has been soaked in lime water, is used to make Mexican specialties such as corn tortillas, tamales, empanadas, etc. Corn starch, on the other hand, is a fine powdery substance made from the endosperm of the corn kernal, and used as a thickening agent. Don't see to many enchiladas or tamales in Ireland these days.