In a slurry, what ingredients form the thickening mixture?

• A. Water and oil
• B. Starch and water
• C. Milk and salt
• D. Egg and water

Answer: (B)

A slurry thickens mainly through starch in a liquid. When starch is dispersed in water and heated, the granules absorb water, swell, and gelatinize, creating a smooth, viscous mixture that thickens sauces and gravies. That’s why starch and water form the classic slurry.

Water and oil don’t stay mixed and won’t thicken evenly. Milk and salt don’t provide the thickening action by themselves. Egg and water can thicken when heated due to proteins coagulating, but that’s not a slurry of starch in liquid and uses a different thickening mechanism.