Soy sauce is a traditional condiment made by fermenting soybeans and wheat.

Soy sauce is a condiment made mainly from soybeans or defatted soybeans and wheat or bran, through processes such as steaming, mold culturing, fermentation and pressing. It has a long history of use in our country and is an indispensable basic seasoning in the kitchen. The finished product is mostly reddish brown or brown, with a distinctive sauce aroma and ester aroma, salty with a touch of umami, and can add color and flavor to dishes.

According to use, the soy sauce commonly found on the market is broadly divided into two major categories: light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce is lighter in color and tastes more umami, suitable for cold dishes, dipping and everyday stir-fry seasoning; dark soy sauce is darker in color and is often used for braised dishes, stewed dishes and other dishes that need coloring. In terms of fermentation techniques, there are also different methods such as high-salt dilute-state and low-salt solid-state, and the soy sauce brewed by each has its own flavor characteristics. In addition, soy sauce can be divided into brewed soy sauce and blended soy sauce; brewed soy sauce is made through microbial fermentation and has a richer, more natural flavor.

The main raw materials of soy sauce, soybeans and wheat, are both important grain and oil crops, and the quality and supply of the raw materials directly affect the flavor and production cost of soy sauce. As a home-style condiment, soy sauce can both enhance umami and aroma and remove fishiness and cut greasiness, and it is very commonly paired with staple foods such as rice and noodles.

When choosing soy sauce, you can pay attention to the product category and ingredient list on the packaging, and give priority to products labeled with a brewing process. In daily use, pay attention to moderation, because soy sauce itself contains a lot of salt. After opening, it should be stored sealed and away from light, and it is best to refrigerate it in hot weather to prevent a film from forming on the surface or the flavor from deteriorating.