roux
 

I have been looking for a low carb substitute for flour as the base for sauces. I used soy flour last night but it a) didn't seem to be as dense as regular flour interms of thickening and b) had somehwhat of a soy taste.

In cruising around the health food store I also saw wheat glueten. I read your thread on glueten but couldn't quite tell if this would work in roux. Seems like it might be a bit too thick. Maybe a mixture?

I did try to see if this question was answered elsewhere but didn't see it

There are a couple of different routes to take. Some people like to use xanthan or guar gum to thicken sauces. This works well for clear sauces such as stir fries. I think the xanthan gum has a better texture and it thickens cold liquids as well as hot.

There is a product called Not/Starch that is a combination of gums that some people like to use.

You can also reduce a sauce until it becomes thicker then add a splash of cream. This works well for meat based dishes.

For gravies and stews, I like to use well pureed cauliflower then maybe some cream or a bit of cream cheese depending on the dish. The cauliflower adds body and very little taste.

Karen