Soy sauce is a fairly acquainted ingredient to most cooks, however what about “dark soy sauce?” What’s the distinction between darkish soy sauce and common soy sauce, and do it is advisable have darkish soy sauce in your pantry?
The brief reply is sure. Darkish soy sauce is certainly one of our 10 Important Chinese language Pantry Substances, and on this article, we’ll inform you why.
Reading: How to make dark soy sauce
Table of Contents
What Is Darkish Soy Sauce? How’s It Completely different from Common Soy Sauce?
Darkish soy sauce (lǎo chōu, 老抽) is thicker, darker, and barely sweeter than common or mild soy sauce. Like common soy sauce, it’s used to taste dishes, however extra importantly, it’s used to darken the colour of sauces, fried rice, noodles, and so on.
Most individuals assume that darkish soy sauce has much less salt than common soy sauce. However, darkish soy sauce really has about 15% extra sodium than common/mild soy sauce. Its gentle sweetness offsets the saltiness, making it solely appear much less salty.
How Is Darkish Soy Sauce Used?
It’s generally utilized in braised/red-cooked dishes like Crimson Cooked Pork, or to realize that tantalizing darkish amber coloration in stir-fries like Beef & Broccoli or rice/noodle dishes like Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Rice and Cantonese Pan-fried Noodles.
You solely want a teaspoon or two to take a dish from pale to amber brown. Style usually when including extra darkish soy sauce, so that you don’t over-season your dish!
See the picture under of including darkish soy sauce to white rice…
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And what the rice seems like after it’s been stirred in (together with eggs and scallions):
Shopping for & Storing
We desire Pearl River Bridge Superior Darkish Soy Sauce. You should buy it in 500ml bottles or bigger bulk jugs (1.8L). It’s also possible to attempt Lee Kum Kee Premium Darkish Soy Sauce.
You may additionally see different varieties, resembling Mushroom Flavored Darkish Soy Sauce and Double Black Soy Sauce.
Mushroom Flavored Darkish Soy Sauce has a bit of additional (you guessed it) mushroom taste, which provides umami to dishes. You need to use it interchangeably with common darkish soy sauce in recipes. Double Black Soy Sauce is principally soy sauce with added molasses, making it darker, thicker, and a bit candy.
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You possibly can see under that the sunshine soy sauce on the left is fairly skinny in consistency, whereas the darkish soy sauce within the center is thicker and darker. The double black soy sauce on the suitable has a consistency much like darkish soy sauce.
In the event you don’t have a Chinese language market close to you, you too can discover darkish soy sauce on-line. Retailer your darkish soy sauce in a cool, dry place just like the pantry. No have to refrigerate.
What Can I Substitute for Darkish Soy Sauce?
A small quantity of darkish soy sauce is normally referred to as for in a recipe largely for coloration, so should you don’t have any, you may merely omit it. Your dish might be lighter in coloration, however nonetheless tasty.
That stated, should you really need your model of a recipe to appear like the pictures, and that recipe requires darkish soy sauce, don’t go away it out.
If in case you have double black soy sauce readily available, use it rather than darkish soy sauce. It’s also possible to use mushroom flavored darkish soy sauce interchangeably with common darkish soy sauce.
It’s also possible to combine collectively molasses, common soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar to make a satisfactory substitute.
Our Favourite Dishes That Use This Ingredient:
- Chinese language Stir-fry Sauce
- Cantonese Soy Sauce Pan-fried Noodles
- Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Rice
- On the spot Pot Soy Sauce Rooster Bowls
- Soy Sauce Rooster
- Caramelized Soy Sauce Noodles with Candy Potato & Mushrooms
- Hong Kong Type Clay Pot Rice
If in case you have additional questions on darkish soy sauce, tell us within the comments-we attempt to reply each single one.
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