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Soy sauce is a sauce made from fermented soy beans, cracked roasted grain, salt and water. Soy sauce originated in China and it is an every day ingredient in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Hawaiian, Malaysian, Indonesian, Taiwanese and 'Asian' cuisine. Although some are sweat tasting, soy sauce adds saltiness and a savory depth to the food with which it is eaten.
Authentic soy sauces are fermented for up to three years with the mold Aspergillus oryzae (koji) and other related micro organisms, which convert the starches to sugars. They always use whole soy beans and often use organic products. Traditionally soy sauces were fermented in natural conditions, such as in giant vats and urns and under the sun. Many believe this contributes to the additional flavours.
Cheaper brands do not possess the natural color of authentic soy sauces and are typically colored with caramel coloring. Many of the cheaper brands are made from the cheaper hydrolysed soy protein instead of whole soy beans. These days, most commercially produced soy sauces are fermented under machine controlled conditions. If you are buying soy sauce, check the label to find out if it is fermented or not. Often, you will pay higher prices for the real item.
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