Light, Dark and everything in between - Soy Sauce
Light vs Dark Soy Sauce. How do you know what is the best one to use? To put it in basic terms; light soy sauce is used for seasoning and dark soy sauce is used for adding colour. Light soy sauce is rich in taste, best for adding flavour when marinating and seasoning. Dark soy sauce on the other hand, is used to add deep colours to meat stews and casseroles. There are many options when using soy sauce, and there are many types you can choose from.
History of soy sauce in Japan
Soy sauce is one of the most used condiments in cooking, seasoning and even dressings. It has been used for many years, dating back 500 B.C, being one of the oldest condiments in the world. The roots of soy sauce can be traced back to ancient China where it was called “Jiang”. Jiang was a savoury paste made from fermenting meat, fish or grain by pickling the raw materials in salt to preserve them.
By the 13th Century soy sauce made its way to Japan and is now arguably the most important seasoning in Japanese cooking. Its salty-sweet taste and deep layer of umami richness makes a well-balanced flavour that makes their foods taste more delicious and satisfying.
How is soy sauce made? What is soy sauce made of?
Soy sauce is made up of soybeans, wheat, and sometimes roasted grains and salt. There are actually two groups of Japanese soy sauce, this depends on if it is produced traditionally or chemically.
Traditional Production:
The traditional method for brewing soy sauce consists of several hours of soaking and steaming soybeans, they rely on suitable temperatures and humidity to create the perfect environment. The mixture is then moved to large barrels, these are referred to as “koike”, which are made of koya maki (Japanese umbrella pine tree) known to be outstandingly resilient and waterproof. During the “Moromi” fermentation process a culturing mould known as “Aspergillus Oryzae” is mixed in, which is also used to make miso, as well as roasted and ground wheat flour to make Shoyu Koji. After some time, the Moromi will decompose and mature. Finally it is filtered little by little in cloth, pasteurised and bottled. The label usually has “naturally brewed” for traditionally fermented soy sauce. This entire process is observed by skilful craftsmen to ensure quality production of Japanese soy sauce.
Chemical Production:
The chemical production method is a much faster and cheaper way of making soy sauce, a chemical acid is used to break down the proteins in the soybeans and wheat. This speeds up the process to a matter of days instead of months. The final product will have additives and salt added to increase the colour and flavour of the soy sauce, meaning it is usually less aromatic in taste and flavour. The label will have “hydrolyzed soy protein” or “hydrolyzed vegetable protein” to show it’s chemically produced.
Endless types of Soy Sauces - Main 5
There are 5 main types of soy sauce in Japanese culture. These are as follows: Tamari, Saishsikomi, Koikuchi, Usukuchi, and Shiro Shoyu. Each one has different characteristics depending on the taste of each region and the history of brewing.
Dark Soy Sauce
Koikuchi soy sauce is the most popular soy sauce, in addition to its salty taste, it also has a umami taste, mild sweetness, refreshing sourness and a slight bitterness that rounds the taste. It’s made from wheat and soybean with a salt content of about 16%, meaning it's perfect for cooking but also as a tabletop seasoning.
Best Used For Cuisines Like: Goes well with almost anything
Light soy sauce
Usukuchi soy sauce, also known as “light coloured” soy sauce, is higher in sodium and has less umami. Its salt content is roughly 10% higher than Koikuchi, and originates from the Kansai region in Japan. This type of soy sauce is best used when cooking dishes that simmer, it brings out the flavours and aromas of the ingredients. It’s used in dishes such as Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice).
Best Used For Cuisines Like: Soup, Japanese omelette, simmered dishes
Tamari Soy Sauce
Tamari soy sauce is the darkest of soy sauce, being known for its thick syrupy texture, rich umami taste, and fragrance. This soy sauce is mainly used as a tabletop sauce for dishes like Sushi and Sashimi (raw fish), it can also be used in cooking such as teriyaki, while cooking with Tamari it has a beautiful red colour when heated. Its salt content is around 16%, same as Koikuchi.
Best Used For Cuisines Like: Chicken teriyaki, red fish sashimi
Saishikomi Soy Sauce
Saishikomi soy sauce comes with a high price tag, this is because it is double fermented, not to be used when cooking. It has a thick rich colour and texture, flavour and fragrance so usually reserved as a dipping sauce for Sashimi and Sushi. This soy sauce originates from the Yanai region of Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.
Best Used For Cuisines Like: Red fish sashimi, red meat steak, Japanese curry
Shiro Soy Sauce
Shiro soy sauce is the lightest of the 5 types with an amber colour. This soy sauce originates from Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture in Japan. It’s a light, sweet tasting, aromatic soy sauce that is often used in dishes such as soups, light raw fish and steamed egg custard as it is high in sugar and salt, preserving them without changing their natural colouring.
Best Used For Cuisines Like: Tofu, steamed silk tofu, white fried rice, salad dressing
Not only light and dark soy sauce, there’s more!
Amakuchi Shoyu Soy Sauce
Amakuchi Shoyu is a popular choice in southern Japan, it’s used like regular soy sauce. It is made the same way as regular soy sauce, however after the steaming and soaking process, sugar cane is added to give a sweet and mild taste that goes perfectly with fish very well. Good for Sushi, Sashimi, simmering fish or any daily dishes.
Best Used For Cuisines Like: White fish sashimi, onigiri, broiled fish
Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
Gluten-free soy sauce is one that has been fermented without wheat. Traditionally brewed with four simple ingredients - water, soybeans, rice, and salt. This soy sauce, made from rice instead of wheat, has a mild flavour and no preservatives other than salt added. Using the traditional age-old brewing process to preserve and enhance the unique flavours, keeping it as close to the original as possible.
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