Corn starch starts as a fine, dry dust. Sprinkle it into cold water, and nothing happens. It just sits there, looking innocent. But heat it up? Boom. The granules swell, burst, and grab water like a desperate hug. Suddenly, your runny liquid becomes a glossy, silky dream.
This is gelatinization. Fancy science word, right? It just means the starch drinks up moisture and expands. Think of it as a tiny, edible sponge that gets drunk on heat.
