xanthan gum. Despite sounding like a sticky alien that hails from a planet in a faraway galaxy, it is a polysaccharide (long chain of sugar molecules) produced by the fermentation of simple sugars by a bacteria named Xanthomonas campestris. This magical substance, even a tiny amount, can thicken any gravy, batter or dough. You might wonder why not just use corn starch, rice flour or maida, but that’s like asking why use an Uzi submachine gun when a blunt knife is available. If you have ever tried making rotis using millet-based (or any non-gluten) flours, you know how painfully difficult it
...more
