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I think the brand of soy sauces most Americans are familiar with is Kikkoman. But there are many different styles from the Far East. Do you use different types for different dishes?
I use two - Ohsawa Nama Shoyu and Kikkoman. The first one is unpasteurized and is perfect for dipping (I know, I used it for making Udon soup). Kikkoman is my favorite for cooking.
I think the brand of soy sauces most Americans are familiar with is Kikkoman. But there are many different styles from the Far East. Do you use different types for different dishes?
Yes I do. However before I get into that, I have to share this story from my childhood that I still think about and find humorous.
Elsewhere on CD, I explained how I happened to have a caucasian grandmother even though I don't have any caucasian blood myself. She and my grandfather would visit us from Rochester, New York every other year and stay at my parent's home on Pacific Heights which is a hillside community.
Anyway, at the bottom of Pacific Heights Road there used to be a soy sauce factory owned by the Honolulu Sake Brewery and Ice Co., Ltd., and they made Diamond Soy Sauce which was sold in 1 gallon glass bottles. Several times during the week when they would be brewing the soy sauce my caucasian grandmother (who liked authentic chinese cuisine) would be riding in the car with us as we were heading home passing the factory and exclaim, "Ugh! what is that odor?" "It smells like a skunk!" LOL
Well maybe to her, but to me it smelled HEAVENLY! I grew up on that soy sauce and when the factory was sold and turned into a housing development, I started using Yamasa soy sauce from Japan. Even though I cook a lot of chinese dishes, I don't care for chinese made thin soy sauces like the Kim Lan brand.
I use Yamasa Usukuchi soy sauce which is lighter in color than regular soy sauce when I don't want the dish to be darken by the color of regular soy sauce when I make japanese nimono dishes, like nishime or kombu maki. I use regular Yamasa soy sauce to cook all other japanese, chinese and korean dishes.
The third soy sauce I use is the chinese brand Koon Chun thick soy sauce which has molasses in it and is just as thick as molasses to cook chinese dishes such as roasted stuffed chicken with lily flower, etc..
Yes I do. However before I get into that, I have to share this story from my childhood that I still think about and find humorous.
Elsewhere on CD, I explained how I happened to have a caucasian grandmother even though I don't have any caucasian blood myself. She and my grandfather would visit us from Rochester, New York every other year and stay at my parent's home on Pacific Heights which is a hillside community.
Anyway, at the bottom of Pacific Heights Road there used to be a soy sauce factory owned by the Honolulu Sake Brewery and Ice Co., Ltd., and they made Diamond Soy Sauce which was sold in 1 gallon glass bottles. Several times during the week when they would be brewing the soy sauce my caucasian grandmother (who liked authentic chinese cuisine) would be riding in the car with us as we were heading home passing the factory and exclaim, "Ugh! what is that odor?" "It smells like a skunk!" LOL
Well maybe to her, but to me it smelled HEAVENLY! I grew up on that soy sauce and when the factory was sold and turned into a housing development, I started using Yamasa soy sauce from Japan. Even though I cook a lot of chinese dishes, I don't care for chinese made thin soy sauces like the Kim Lan brand.
I use Yamasa Usukuchi soy sauce which is lighter in color than regular soy sauce when I don't want the dish to be darken by the color of regular soy sauce when I make japanese nimono dishes, like nishime or kombu maki. I use regular Yamasa soy sauce to cook all other japanese, chinese and korean dishes.
The third soy sauce I use is the chinese brand Koon Chun thick soy sauce which has molasses in it and is just as thick as molasses to cook chinese dishes such as roasted stuffed chicken with lily flower, etc..
My go to soy sauce is San-J Tamari. Reason, I learned "Japanese !,000 Year Old Sauce" recipe, in Japan and that's what she used. I also have "Aloha Shoyu" which presents a quandary, Honolulu21. It clearly states on my 32 oz. bottle THAT: "Hawaii's Favorite Since 1946." Lastly, I always have a bottle of "ABC" sweet soy sauce around. This is also known as "Kecap Manis" or Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It may be similar to your Koon Chun, it's as thick as molasses too but uses palm sugar. Great finish on Texas BBQ!
As an afterthought: The Indonesian cuisine was good and varied as any great food culture I've experienced but we seldom see Indonesian restaurants except in LA or NYC.
This is a very interesting thread -- to be honest, I just keep Kikkoman low sodium in my pantry. I don't think I realized that there was so much diversity in soy sauces (silly me). Definitely keeping an eye on this thread to learn more!
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Yes I do
Lastly, I always have a bottle of "ABC" sweet soy sauce around. This is also known as "Kecap Manis" or Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It may be similar to your Koon Chun, it's as thick as molasses too but uses palm sugar. Great finish on Texas BBQ!
