Jump directly to the soy sauce trivia.
When you hear the words “soy sauce” what comes to mind? The small packets that come with Chinese to-go food? The red-topped Kikkoman bottle at your favorite Japanese restaurant? Or a fancy bottle of dark brown goodness that can only be found in a few shops and will cost a pretty penny?
Although each of these is in fact soy sauce, they are all very different. They all start out the same, as soybeans mixed with roasted grain (usually wheat) and salt, but that is where the similarities diverge. The packets are synthetically manufactured. The process takes only two days using what’s called a hydrolytic reaction. Since the result is far from flavorful, they attempt to compensate for it by seasoning it with corn syrup, caramel coloring, salt and water (we strongly recommend you stay away from these, so check the labels when you are shopping!).
The most common type of soy sauce worldwide is Kikkoman (the red top), which is made using the traditional fermentation method. It is a three-step fermentation process: Step one is to combine crushed soybeans and wheat with water and cook it until it is a mash. A specific strain of mold called Aspergillus oryzae is added to the mash to break down the proteins. This takes three days to mature at which time it is called ‘Koji’. Step two is when this mash is transferred to fermenting tanks and brine (salt and water) is added to the mix. It is now referred to as ‘moromi’. Like wine, this is then left to age for six months. Step three is the pressing, filtering, pasteurizing and bottling of the soy sauce.
The fancy bottles of soy sauce use the same three step fermentation process however they use specially selected whole soy beans and allow the fermentation process to continue for up to three years. The result is a celebration for your taste buds. This type of sauce is often referred to as Fancy or even Super Fancy when imported to the US and it is well worth the price if soy is the main flavor in your dish.
Now for a bit of trivia. Scroll down to see the answers.
1) Soybeans are considered one of the five sacred grains in China. Can you name any of the others?
2) Soy sauce was originally developed by accident about 2500 years ago. It was a by-product of preserving meats with salt. The original form was a paste. Today this meat preservative has evolved into two well known things: Soy sauce and what?
3) Chinese soy sauce is split into two major groupings: Light and dark. The light is most commonly used for cooking. When would you use the dark?
4) What is the best soy sauce to use with your sushi or sashimi?
5) Soy sauce is sometimes combined with other flavors during the fermentation process. Can you name one?
6) True or False: White soy sauce has less salt than regular soy sauce.
7) Which Destination Dinners Recipe Kit uses special fancy soy sauce?
Answers:
1) Wheat, barley, millet and rice
2) Miso
3) Only in “red cooked” dishes meaning dishes that are dark in color like meats and marinades so as not to ruin the appearance of the dish.
4) We know you didn’t guess the fake stuff, but if you guessed the red-topped Kikkoman or even the fancy soy sauce you are wrong. The best soy for raw fish is either the tamari, a blend of soy that uses very little or no wheat at all, or the saishikomi which is fermented twice and has a richer thicker flavor. (Remeber, never dip the rice part of the sushi, just the fish. The rice will pick up too much soy and ruin the flavor.)
5) Mushroom and shrimp soy sauces are commonly used in Chinese foods and kecap manis, a sweetish, thick soy sauce made with palm sugar and seasoned with star anise and garlic is a popular Indonesian soy sauce especially for dips.
6) False. It is lighter because there are less soy beans and more brine. White soy is used only in cooking and only when color may be an issue (for example when cooking fish).
7) The Tokyo Kit for Katsudon. Be sure to dip your finger in and give it a try before adding it to your recipe. It is amazing!
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