Thickening

Thickening is the culinary technique of increasing the viscosity of a liquid using a thickening agent, a substance that raises viscosity without substantially changing the liquid's other properties. Edible thickeners are commonly used in cooking to thicken sauces, soups and puddings without altering their taste, and the same class of substances is also used outside the kitchen in paints, inks, explosives and cosmetics.