Dr. Oetker Mısır Nişastası contains one ingredient only: corn starch. It is a fine-grained powder that gives a reliable, even thickness and, according to the manufacturer, does not clump. The 150 g pouch has a resealable lock, and a measuring chart on the back tells you how much starch to use for each type of recipe, which takes the guesswork out of thickening.
Corn starch is a basic helper in Turkish desserts and savoury cooking alike. It sets muhallebi, sütlaç and other milk puddings, thickens fruit compotes and tart fillings, and makes glossy sauces and béchamel. It can also go into soups, and the manufacturer even suggests using it to dust the work surface when rolling out baklava dough. In cakes and cookies it can replace part of the flour (roughly one fifth) for a softer crumb.
To avoid lumps when thickening a hot liquid, take 4-6 tablespoons of the cold liquid, stir the starch into it until smooth, then add this mixture to the pot once the rest of the liquid is boiling, and keep stirring until it thickens. When adding to a cold liquid, mix the starch with the other ingredients first, then add the liquid and cook. Close the lock after use and store in a dry, cool cupboard.