• Arrowroot is the edible starch from the rhizomes (rootstock) of West Indian arrowroot
• It is often ground down to a powdered starch form which is completely white and powdery in form
• The powder itself is used as a thickener, in cakes, pies, soups, and sauces
• The rhizome itself can grow up to 6-7 pounds in weight at maturity
• Arrowroot has no flavour or smell, but when boiled it has a slighty nutty sweet taste
• If used in soups as cubes, the root is very fibery and coarse

How do I prepare it?

• Wash and peel the arrowroot
• Cut into cubes for soup usage

Where can I buy this?

• You can buy arrowroot from most Asian supermarkets
• It is also available in the wet marts in Hong Kong and can be bought by preference of weight and size

What is the cost?

• Arrowroot costs roughly $1.00 CAD / pound, so a large arrowroot can easily cost $5 – $6

Any substitutes?

• A good substitute for the arrowroot in soups is the lotus root

Any benefits?

• Due to its blandness, it’s suitable for many diets (especially soups for children)
• The arrowroot does contain a healthy amount of calcium
• It is recommended for people who feel nauseous to consume arrowroot and helps soothes upset stomachs

Any precautions?

• The arrowroot is not a highly nutritious food with 84% of the root composed of starch
• Arrowroots can be quite dirty and need to be thoroughly washed prior to consumption
• If purchasing arrowroot powder, be sure to purchase it from a reputatble source as some sources many not sell PURE arrowroot

Additional Information?

• Fresh arrowroot stores relatively well in the fridge and can keep for up to 1 month

Resources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrowroot
• http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-arrowroot.htm
• http://www.answers.com/topic/arrowroot