Monday, April 1, 2013

Soy Sauce

Kikkoman Soy Sauce (500ml)Kikkoman Tamari Soy Sauce 250 ml

There is a huge variation in quality in soy sauces. Some are made up from raw ingredients and some a brewed like beer or wine and these are the best type. The taste difference is extraordinary. You have to go to a Chinese shop to get really good soy sauce. In fact all the best are Japanese and the Chinese buy them. Kikkoman makes a sauce available in all supermarkets but its the lowest quality (still better than most Chinese ones), but they also make a very superior soy made from long fermented beans, if you go the a Chinese shop you will see several different Kikkoman, Yamasa and Shoda all good Japanese brands. Look for a sauce labelled tamari by any manufacturer which is usually the sign of a good long brewed Japanese sauce. The brewed sauce is less salty and much more flavorful.

LIGHT AND DARK
Dark soy sauce is used to give color and strong flavor to a dish. Light is more salty and can be added to improve most dishes. I use dark for seasoning meats for stewing as it gives them a dark shiny color and tasty flavor. Avoid almost all the soy sauces except Kikkoman and Lee Kum double deluxe in supermarkets, they are not brewed but made up from chemical products mixed together and do not taste good.

No comments: