Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a dark, salty liquid made by fermenting soybeans and usually roasted wheat with salt, water and a mold called koji. After months of brewing, the mash is pressed and the liquid is bottled. It tastes salty, savory and slightly sweet, and it is the main seasoning in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and much Southeast Asian cooking. It is rich in umami.

How to use it

• Season stir-fries, fried rice, noodles and soups instead of, or as well as, salt.
• Make marinades for meat, fish and tofu with garlic, ginger and sugar.
• Mix dipping sauces for dumplings and sushi.
• Add a dash to gravies, stews, burgers and salad dressings for savory depth.

Add it a little at a time and taste. Many recipes need less salt once soy sauce is in.

Substitutes

• Tamari, a Japanese style made with little or no wheat. Use the same amount.
• Coconut aminos, a soy-free option. It is sweeter and much less salty, so add salt.
• Fish sauce for saltiness and depth, about half the amount.
• Miso thinned with water, in a pinch.

How to store it

Unopened bottles keep for years in a cupboard. After opening, it stays safe in the cupboard because of the salt, but it darkens and loses its fresh taste over a few months. Keep it in the fridge to slow this down.

In recipes

The kind matters:

• Light soy sauce (Chinese) is thin, salty and lighter in color. When a Chinese recipe just says "soy sauce", it means this.
• Dark soy sauce (Chinese) is aged longer, often with molasses. It is thicker, less salty and mainly adds color and sweetness. Do not swap it one for one with light.
• Japanese soy sauce (shoyu) sits between the two and works in most recipes.
• Low-sodium soy sauce has some salt removed.

Most soy sauce contains wheat, so it is not safe for people with celiac disease. Look for tamari labeled gluten-free. All soy sauce contains soy, which matters for a soy allergy.