Understanding soy sauce and how to use it
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Soy sauce is a fermented soybean sauce, which is combined with water, salt (often sea salt), and roasted grain. Grains commonly included in soy sauce include wheat, rice, and barley. Soy sauce is used to flavor food, particularly Asian cuisine, though it is popular in the United States and in other countries, as well. It is most commonly used to flavor other sauces, main dishes, and marinades.
Soy sauce does not have isoflavones like other soybean products. True soy sauce is fermented with koji, which is a yeast mold scientifically known as Asperigillus oryzae. Other microorganisms are included in the fermentation process, as well. Most soy sauce products also contain alcohol, which is added as a preservative during bottling. To keep soy sauce fresh, it is necessary to keep it refrigerated and out of direct light. This need to stay out of light is why soy sauce is usually packaged in bottles with dark glass.
Chinese Soy Sauce
There are many different types of soy sauce, but all types are salty and brown in color. In fact Chinese soy sauce and Japanese soy sauce are very different from one another. Chinese soy sauce is mostly made from soybean and contains very little amounts of other grains. One type of Chinese soy sauce is mushroom soy sauce, which using straw mushrooms. It is a dark soy sauce and it has a pleasant, full-bodied flavor.
Japanese Soy Sauce
Unlike Chinese soy sauce, Japanese soy sauce uses wheat as one of the primary ingredients. This gives Japanese soy sauce a sweeter taste than Chinese soy sauce. One type of Japanese soy sauce is Tamari. It is a dark soy sauce that is thicker than Chinese soy sauce. It also has a very strong flavor. Tamari is available in both wheat and non-wheat varieties and it maintains its flavor after being cooked.
Light Soy Sauce
Light soy sauce, which is not the same as reduced-sodium, low-sodium, or lite soy sauce, is saltier than dark soy sauce. It is generally considered to be a Japanese soy sauce. Light soy sauce is often used when the dark color of dark soy sauce will ruin the appearance of a dish. Light soy sauce is also used when the dish requires lighter flavoring, such as when used with seafood.
Dark Soy Sauce
Dark soy sauce is richer and thicker than light soy sauce and it has a sharper flavor. It is chocolate brown in color and is not as salty as light soy sauce. It is used throughout all Asian countries.
Soy sauce, and its many different varieties, is an excellent condiment that can add the perfect flavor to a wide array of dishes.
