Soy Sauces

Quality Soy Sauces

Most people associate soy sauce primarily with sushi, but it's actually a cornerstone of Asian cuisine. It plays an essential role in marinades, sauces, dressings, soups, salads, and one‑pan dishes.

Soy sauces are known for their distinct, slightly sweet taste and high salt content. Thanks to their glutamic acid content, they have the unique ability to enhance other flavours, adding a deeper, umami quality to dishes.

Types of soy sauces

Navigating all the different types of soy sauces and their uses could almost require a dedicated course. Here are the basics:

• Shoyu: This traditional soy sauce is made from soybeans and wheat, making it ideal for cold dishes or for seasoning finished meals.
• Tamari: Naturally gluten‑free, tamari is produced as a byproduct of miso paste. It’s darker and has a more intense flavour than shoyu, making it better suited for cooking.

Within shoyu sauces, there are also light and dark varieties, distinguished by their aging process. Chinese recipes typically call for light soy sauce, while Japanese cuisine traditionally uses dark soy sauce. Sweet soy sauce, made from soy and sugar, is popular in Indonesia. Many other Asian sauces, such as Hoisin, Teriyaki, and Ponzu, are also soy‑based.

For those with a soy allergy, coconut aminos offer a great alternative to traditional soy sauces.