Using the right one just makes seasoning a dish so effortless. Hence why you will find all 5 of them in my pantry at any one time.
Like many, I started with just one and the collection grew as I learned to cut corners when seasoning using the right type. It makes it much quicker and easier to just use the right soy sauce you know will deliver on flavour for a fraction of the time.
These 5 types are ALWAYS in my kitchen, and I recommend you have these in yours too for effortless Asian cooking.
Light Soy Sauce
This is probably by far the most common type. This is light and neutral both in flavour and colour. Because of that, they’re typically used in seasoning glazing sauces and stir-fry. One of my favourites would be the Superior Gold Label or the Lee Kum Kee. I also personally love the mushroom soy sauce from the Thai, Healthy Boy Brand with its added mushroom-y flavour.
Dark Soy Sauce
Don’t be fool by the colour it gives, the saltiness is not as intense as it seems. This is why I reach for dark soy in most of my braising recipes where I want that intense colour. In my braised pork belly recipe, I mixed in a dash to give it a beautiful deep colour. I typically go for either the Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy or Kikkoman Dark Soy.
Sweet Soy Sauce
Sweet or also known as dark sweet soy sauce is probably the most underrated condiment in an Asian pantry. The use goes from drizzling over steamed Cheung Fun, adding a splash into noodle stir-fry as well as simply using it as a dipping sauce in chicken rice – the list goes on.
Each particular region of the East Asian countries has their own versions. Representing Indonesia and Malaysia is the kecap manis. From Thailand, we have 5 different types which frankly confuses me as I feel these varies minimally. Last but not least, the version I particularly like from the Cantonese cuisine is the one that you drizzle on top of clay pot rice or dim sum sauce which is featured in the photo below.
Tsuyu (Japanese All-purpose)
If there is one that I would certainly recommend, it has to be the tsuyu. It is the most versatile option in my pantry. Tsuyu is the Japanese multipurpose seasoned soy sauce used in anything from flavouring soups, rice, noodles and hotpots. The soy sauce gets a loving blend of sake, mirin and dashi then simmered down for a concentrated umami-ness.
One of my favourite ways to use this soy sauce is to marinate a soft boiled egg in it. Boil the eggs for 4 minutes 30 seconds then transfer them into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Then peel and dunk the eggs into the tsuyu for at least 6 hours.
You can find tsuyu at most Japanese (and Asian) grocery stores. If you’re in London, one of the best places to get this is from the Japan Centre or, you can also find this online. I’ve not attempted to make one myself yet, however, Just One Cookbook has a recipe for it.
Maggi
If you’ve not had Maggi, imagine a soy sauce mixed with Worcestershire sauce. One of the best ways to have it is as a dipping sauce. This is my dad’s secret recipe, he simply mixes chilli flakes with Maggi on a 1-1 ratio. Oh boy, dunk your grilled meats into this and voila!
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