Allergies

[Sna]

I am trying to locate a thickening agent for stews, soups etc, but I am allergic to wheat, yeast, eggs, milk and dairy products . If anyone out there knows of anything I can get hold of easily please let me know as I am getting quite desperate.

[Suzanne]

1. What we call cornstarch (cornflour where you are, I believe). Just don't cook it very long, as it will lose its thickening powers. Also rice flour, tapioca (cassava starch).
2. Pureed vegetables. This is especially good with stews and soups. Take out some of the vegs already in them and mash them up or puree. (Or cook some extras) Gives body without any kind of starch--although you could do it with potatoes or rice or other starchy vegs, as well.

[skilletlicker]

You'll get great advise from experts here. Here are 3 ideas to hold you until one of them gets here.
1. Cornstarch
2. Potatoes
3. Okra
4. Corn flour or masa harina

I'm no chef so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Edited: When I started this reply there were no others. Suzanne is definitely one of the experts! I regret this post followed hers.

[skilletlicker]

Sna,
Thinking about your post I made a soup for lunch that started with a roux of masa harina and vegetable oil. I thickened at the end with a slurry of soy flour. I see now you're in England. Masa harina is primarily a Latin American ingredient made from corn treated with cal (calcium hydroxide aka lime) and is in all the grocers here. I've never tried but soy flour should work as a wheat flour substiture in a roux. I'd never used it in a slurry before either but it did thicken without adding the shiny, satiny appearance that cornstarch gives.
Is soy milk allowed? Again I haven't tried but maybe with soy flour and olive oil as a bechamel substitute? I'm not promoting soy products. Just happened some flour in the ice box. The chefs should show up now to correct my bad advise. Remember, take what I say with a grain of salt.

[Mezzaluna]

What about arrowroot powder?

[redace1960]

sheet gelatine or isinglas works-gelatine is made from cow but isinglas is made with russian stockfish. also agaragar, which is made from seaweed.