Not the same. The differences are as follows:

1. Different flavors:

Lye noodles: lye noodles taste salty and bitter because of the large amount of sodium carbonate in its composition. Starch: starch tastes like noodles.

2. Different ingredients:

The chemical composition of lye noodles is sodium carbonate, and starch is a polysaccharide.

3. Different phenomena in water:

Lye noodles: lye noodles will be completely dissolved in water. Starch: starch does not dissolve in water and will be dispersed in water.

4. Different uses:

Lye noodles are used to neutralize the excess acidity in the traditional fertilizer used to make noodles, a process known as "speculation alkali". Starch is also known as gravy in the restaurant industry.

Extended information:

Starch thickening effect:

1. Increase the viscosity and consistency of the dish soup. After thickening, the soup to increase viscosity and concentration, so that the soup and vegetables fusion, beautiful flavor into the taste.

2. Protect vitamins. Starch contains glutathione, and the sulfhydryl group (-SH) in its structure has the function of protecting vitamin C.

3. Keeping the dish crispy and tender. After the seasoning sauce is thickened, because the starch paste becomes thick, the gravy wrapped around the surface of the raw material is not easy to penetrate, to maintain the flavor characteristics of the dishes.

4. Increase the luster of the dishes. After thickening the dishes, starch paste heat, the formation of colloidal state, can make the dishes more bright and clean.

5. Make soup and vegetables melt, the main ingredients stand out. Due to the thickening of the soup after the thickening of the soup, buoyancy increased, the main ingredient upward, highlighting the change of the phenomenon of the soup do not see the vegetables.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Starch

Baidu Encyclopedia - Lye

People's Daily News - What is the role of thickening? Thickening several simple methods