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The fermentation process is going to take up to six months. Since many people aren’t willing to put this amount of effort in, it might not be practical for you to make your own sauce. However, this sauce is much more versatile than that. It’s going to go nicely with many different types of roasted or pan-fried meat. In 2001, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency found in testing various soy sauces manufactured in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand (made from hydrolyzed soy protein, rather than being naturally fermented) that 22% of tested samples contained a chemical carcinogen named 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol) at levels considerably higher than those deemed safe by the EU. About two-thirds of these samples also contained a second carcinogenic chemical named 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol) which experts advise should not be present at any levels in food. Both chemicals have the potential to cause cancer, and the Agency recommended that the affected products be withdrawn from shelves and avoided. [72] [73] [74] [75] The same carcinogens were found in soy sauces manufactured in Vietnam, causing a food scare in 2007. [76] [77] Soy sauce is a great ingredient to add flavor to a dish, as it is rich, savory, and has an umami flavor that is difficult to match.
Soy sauce (all purpose, “normal” or “standard” soy sauce”) – when bottles are simply labelled “soy sauce”. Not light, dark, sweet, mushroom or any other type of soy sauce. I’m going to refer to this as “all purpose soy sauce” in this post, to avoid confusion. Similar to Sichuan cuisine, Hunan dishes also rely on chili peppers for heat. However, instead of using Sichuan peppercorns, Hunan cuisine favors spices like shallots and garlic for a distinctive taste. Moreover, Hunan food is 干辣 " gan la" (literally dry and spicy) versus Sichuan which is 麻辣 " ma la" (numbing and spicy.)If using a flour or starch, you need to add it to half a cup of cold water, stir it very well so there are no clumps, then pour the mixture into the soy sauce. Heat and simmer until it reaches the consistency you want. The 19th century Sinologist Samuel Wells Williams wrote that in China, the best soy sauce was "made by boiling beans soft, adding an equal quantity of wheat or barley, and leaving the mass to ferment; a portion of salt and three times as much water are afterwards put in, and the whole compound left for two or three months when the liquid is pressed and strained". [13] Japan [ edit ] Shoyu ramen If you like Chinese food, you won't go wrong keeping a bottle of this regular dark soy sauce in your pantry (it can last a long time without going bad.)
Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's Food Code classifies gaeryang-ganjang into four categories by their method of production. [57] [58] Lertsiri, Sittiwat; Maungma, Roungdao; Assavanig, Apinya; Bhumiratana, Amaret (1 May 2001). "Roles of the Maillard Reaction in Browning During Moromi Process of Thai Soy Sauce". Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 25 (2): 149–162. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2001.tb00450.x. ISSN 1745-4549. As the soy sauce simmers, the excess water will evaporate, and it will leave behind a more concentrated soy sauce. It might test your patience to go this route, but it can indeed be done. Just try not to add more brown sugar than you need to.Of course, you should know that soy sauce has many uses. Many people think of it as something that they put on stir fry. Pat Tanumihardja’s nasi goreng: it’s the kecap manis and shrimp paste that ‘sets nasi goreng apart’. Thumbnails: Felicity Cloake