Soy sauce is to Asian recipes what salt is to Western ones. It is a basic ingredient that is generally made from fermented soy beans, water and salt.
There are many different styles to suit different tastes and cuisines. Classic Chinese recipes, for example, favour a light soy while Japanese dishes often incorporate Shoyu for an intense umami flavour.
There are huge differences in the quality of soy sauces as well. A good soy sauce can be identified by “naturally brewed” or similar wording. Some brands take short-cuts by using chemicals and various additives to make up for the lack of flavour and colour, but these do not compare with the real thing.
Other than soy sauces, oyster sauce and fish sauce are also commonly used. Read on to learn which are the ones to stock in your kitchen and try out some of our recipes that make use of them.
Text: The Australian Women’s Weekly
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