Dark and light are the most common variants of soy sauce. But there are a lot more available in the market. These Chinese sauces were earlier used by cooks who worked in the royal court. The variety available in Chinese condiments is boundless. This sauce is created by combining soybeans with salt and water. The mixture is then exposed to sunlight and fermented. The difference in the sauces is according to the raw ingredient, region, function, production time, and other elements. The light variant has a lighter color and less salt content. It is used for fine-tuning recipes and seasoning. The first obtained variants are of the highest quality and have a rich taste.
The shrimp variant is made using steeped dried shrimp. This brings a lively depth to the sweet flavor of soy. The dark soy sauce has more sugar when compared to the light variety and is matured in the sunlight for a longer duration. It is black and has a sweetness that provides a distinctive taste to numerous dishes. The sweet soy type is a mixture of both dark and light varieties, it is cooked along with onion, sugar, shallot, coriander, and spring onion. It is ideally used for clay pot rice, steaming fish, and Hainan chicken rice. The black bean variant is made using black beans and is famous in Taiwan. The Fujian-style cooking sauce is also known as “Xi Zai Qing” and is considered a royal product. It is made using premium beans and has a higher content of soy that is fermented for a longer duration.
For those looking for flavor and color, a dark variety of cooking sauce is the best option. It is widely used in making noodles, Thai basil chicken, Kung pao chicken, and similar recipes. Light soy sauce is used for seasoning without giving an overwhelming taste or color. It is the perfect choice for recipes such as chow mein, noodle soup, fried rice, or chop suey. The sweet soy variant can create a balance of salt, flavor, and color. It is best suited for recipes such as hot and sour soup, Choy bow, and Thai drunken noodles. It is also versatile enough to be used as a dipping sauce or for salad dressings.
While buying these cooking essentials, it is important to check their contents. Not all sauces are gluten-free. Some brands do offer gluten-free varieties. Apart from Chinese varieties, other options are not so common. This includes Kecap Manis which is an Indonesian origin sauce that has a syrupy consistency. The mushroom soy sauce has an earthy flavor of mushrooms. Choose the perfect sauce and try out amazing Chinese recipes that can be cherished by your family.