Japanese cuisine uses several basic seasonings. But I would say soy sauce is definitely the most important. It makes a big difference in your cooking. So let me give you an insight or two about this essential seasoning.
<h1> 1. What is soy sauce made of?</h1>
The main ingredients are soybeans, wheat and salt.
These are boiled in water and fermented using Aspergillus. After about six months, the fermented mash is squeezed and filtered into delicious soy sauce!
<h1> 2. What is the purpose of soy sauce?</h1>
Soy sauce enhances color, flavor and aroma.
The colourful soy sauce on grilled or fried foods creates mouth-watering golden brown dishes and adds luster to stewed foods. Certain types of soy sauce actually enhance rather than destroy the original color of the ingredients. The food that is fried or roasted to a deep golden brown is so delicious!
Did you know that sushi chefs refer to soy sauce as murasaki? This dates back to the time when soy sauce was dark purple, which is what murasaki means.
flavor
Soy sauce is the balance of all five flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami.
fragrance
Nothing compares to the smell of brown soy sauce. Just thinking about it makes people drool! Soy sauce contains more than 300 different aromatic compounds.
Some people who arrive at Japan's international airports sometimes say they smell soy sauce. What a wonderful sense of smell!
<h1> 3. Soy sauce</h1>
Variety A variety of soy sauces are used in Japanese cuisine. The three most common types are koikuchi, usukuchi, and tamari.
1. Koizumi soy sauce originated from the thick soy sauce of the Kanto region.
It is a balanced universal soy sauce that is most commonly used in recipes.
If a recipe requires soy sauce, that's what it means. It has a salt content of 16%. Recommended for: Sukiyaki, stewed radish and yellowtail, as well as stewed meat and potatoes
2. Usuki soy sauce comes from the light soy sauce of the Kansai region.
This is used to maintain the natural color of the ingredients. Due to its relatively high salt content (19%), it is more suitable for cooking with Oishi, a sweeter dish. Recommended for: Udon noodle soup, Japanese omelette and stewed vegetables. 3. Soy sauce is mainly produced in the central region.
It is very dark and thick, with a unique fragrance. It is mainly made from soybeans with only a small amount of wheat. To enjoy sushi, pair it with tamari! It is also recommended for: grilled chicken skewers, grilled rice balls, and stewed mackerel in sweet and salty sauce.