soy sauce

[TheCaptain]

Am I the only one with a bias against Kikoman cause it seems so walmartish?

I was right there with you for awhile...but local newspaper and cooking magazine taste tests consistently rank it very well for a national brand so I got over my bias.

We actually do home taste tests all the time and Aldi brands frequently beat out "gourmet" brands. I love a bargain!

 

[Obsidiank]

This is my favorite for sushi. Hard to find. If you're in Chicago, mitsuwa carries it. http://www.higashimaru.co.jp/products/detail/pdt0005.html

 

[DDPslice]

Lots of great info thanks for the heads up. I've been using Kikkoman but I picked up Bragg's Liquid Aminos. I really got it because its a great misting spray bottle and its made from soy. Its a meatier version of what I've tried before, at home and out and the spray is nice, not as misty as I hoped but its good for even distribution on rice etc.

I put soy sauce on rice. I think its a case of the kettle calling the worm hole black when eating rice with a bunch of pickles and soy sauce is so crazy to think of.

 

[Badgertooth]

I tried the Kimlan thanks to this thread and it's blowing my hair back. Got the piau shiang variant which is twice fermented over the course of a year and it has a nice controlled, rounded, fermented depth to it and the sugar makes total sense as a balance to that. Lovely stuff.

 

[sharptools]

For light soy sauce, my two favorite are:

Lee Kum Kee Double fermented First Pressed Light Soy Sauce.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XWTSE3Q/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Koon Chun double black, also double fermented and first pressed
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00012OI0U/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Also, can't go wrong with Pearl River, grew up with it so it tastes like home.

In general I find Japanese soy sauces to be much brighter (not sure how else to describe it) in taste and better for dipping. Chinese soy sauces tend to be more rounded and IMHO more suited for stir fry.

If you're making chili soy sauce you have to use a more rounded soy. The brightness and the chili isn't a very pleasant combo.

 

[Chef Doom]

Tamari is good, yeah. Even the Kikkoman stuff.

Otherwise: Pearl River Bridge or Golden Boat light. Whatever Shiitake-soy is at all available. Sempyo Gukganjang* (the bottle with the bright yellow label). Sometimes, Golden Mountain. All great *cooking* soy sauces, I'll be laughing if anyone doesn't read this to the end and tries any of this on sushi.

[video=youtube;sPNtJYvC8Cw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPNtJYvC8Cw[/video] from 0:40 (I am not even asian but god I laughed so hard when I saw this first).

*This is to Doenjang as Tamari is to Miso.

Like half of us dont still drown rice with soy sauce. I have even refried fried rice with *more* soy sauce only to splash a little extra right before chowing down.

 

[Chef Doom]

Tamari is good, yeah. Even the Kikkoman stuff.

Otherwise: Pearl River Bridge or Golden Boat light. Whatever Shiitake-soy is at all available. Sempyo Gukganjang* (the bottle with the bright yellow label). Sometimes, Golden Mountain. All great *cooking* soy sauces, I'll be laughing if anyone doesn't read this to the end and tries any of this on sushi.

[video=youtube;sPNtJYvC8Cw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPNtJYvC8Cw[/video] from 0:40 (I am not even asian but god I laughed so hard when I saw this first).

*This is to Doenjang as Tamari is to Miso.

The extra cup of ice killed me hahaha

 

[benito]

eden organic tamari.

it's the real deal.

whole foods carries it.

i found a nice shoyu at sunrise (nyc) but i can't understand the label.

also shout out to kecap manis especially when its made with palm sugar.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Tamari is good, yeah. Even the Kikkoman stuff.

Otherwise: Pearl River Bridge or Golden Boat light. Whatever Shiitake-soy is at all available. Sempyo Gukganjang* (the bottle with the bright yellow label). Sometimes, Golden Mountain. All great *cooking* soy sauces, I'll be laughing if anyone doesn't read this to the end and tries any of this on sushi.

[video=youtube;sPNtJYvC8Cw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPNtJYvC8Cw[/video] from 0:40 (I am not even asian but god I laughed so hard when I saw this first).

*This is to Doenjang as Tamari is to Miso.

Thanks for a good laugh. My better half is Japanese. When I cook curry or anything I always put the rice on the side for her. For me put the rice in middle of the plate & dump the stew on top.

 

[Chuckles]

Went to the store today. Just did a tasting. Pearl River Bridge Light Soy is awesome. Also the Lee Kum Kee double fermented was very good. Kikkoman did not do well.

 

[daveb]

The Pearl River Light and Dark are both in my pantry, and I've had the Lee Kum there. Not a fan of the PR Mushroom. The Korean Gouchu... (sp?) in the background will set you free!

 

[panda]

Try tamari

 

[Chuckles]

I’ve had enough for one day. We had a sub soy sauce come in at work and it was horrid. Soy wasn’t even in the ingredients list but corn syrup was. Motivated me to do some homework.

 

[aboynamedsuita]

I got the hello kitty (kikkoman) mostly just because of the bottle haha. The yamasa tamari is used more often and I prefer it over the kikkoman, doesn’t have the salty “finish” in the taste. The imported タケサン (takesan) shoyu is pretty good too, but for the cost difference I’d be happy to settle for the yamasa.

 

[MrHiggins]

View attachment 72091
Went to the store today. Just did a tasting. Pearl River Bridge Light Soy is awesome. Also the Lee Kum Kee double fermented was very good. Kikkoman did not do well.

I agree that regular Kikkoman is not that great (it tastes one dimensionally salty to me). However, this "extra fancy" Kikkoman from Tokyo is really great. Very deep and complex.

 

[panda]

here's a tip for yall, water down your kikkoman with gingerale to make it taste better.

 

[DitmasPork]

Current soy sauces in my 'fridge. Far left is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce, on far right is a Malaysian soy sauce.

 

[LostHighway]

I usually try to keep a Japanese dark soy sauce in the house (currently Yamasa) and a Chinese light sauce like the Pearl River. @Chuckles I usually go to United Noodle for Japanese or Chinese ingredients, have you found a better spot?

 

[panda]

i love the pearl river mushroom dark soy. why you no like that one dave??

 

[daveb]

I've no recollection of why. Tried it. Didn't like it. Next. Would give it a go again but not buying a bottle.

 

[CiderBear]

View attachment 72111

I got the hello kitty (kikkoman) mostly just because of the bottle haha. The yamasa tamari is used more often and I prefer it over the kikkoman, doesn’t have the salty “finish” in the taste. The imported タケサン (takesan) shoyu is pretty good too, but for the cost difference I’d be happy to settle for the yamasa.

*gasps* @Xenif where are you there's Hello Kitty over here

 

[CiderBear]

Current soy sauces in my 'fridge. Far left is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce, on far right is a Malaysian soy sauce.

I know that all the bottles say to refrigerate after opening, but... and I say this as respectfully as I can as an Asian person... cold soy sauce is no.

I'm not picky about my soy sauce. I just get the Whole Foods Organic Shoyu when I can't find Kikkoman for general cooking.

When I want an actual umami bomb, I use Maggi seasoning. That stuff is delicious.

 

[panda]

people put soy in the fridge?? i didnt know that was even a thing. big yes to maggi!! its basically soy with msg.

 

[ecchef]

Our standard at home is Yamasa. Nice to see that kecap manis too. Got turned on to it many years ago by an Indonesian friend.

 

[Chips]

Our standard at home is Yamasa. Nice to see that kecap manis too. Got turned on to it many years ago by an Indonesian friend.

I don't know if it's a spelling error, but I've been buying this since 2017 and loving it.

It's fabulous. I mainly dip nice steaks or yakitori chicken in it, since I'm not a fan of seafood.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007IBVIPK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Old thread new life.

Just made a batch of green beans, browned potato slices, mushrooms, lightly flowered cut chix. thighs.

Used Kikkoman citrus Ponzu (soy sauce wt. Vinegar & citrus), Lee Kum Kee's Oyster sauce, little three crab Fish Sauce.

 

[Chuckles]

It is good to see that Lee Kum Kee seems to be a reputable brand. Standing in a packed aisle, knowing some brands are going to be terrible, I’m glad I picked a winner for the double fermented. The Pearl River I got by searching the forum to this thread while at the store. I figured it would be faster and more trustworthy than google and I was right. Thanks KKF!

@LostHighway
I went to United Noodle. I ended up at Coastal Seafoods right down the street for some squid ink and they had some whiskey barrel aged fish sauce and other interesting stuff. I like red boat better btw. Coastal was purchased by Fortune Fish out of Chicago. They also purchased Classic Provisions and are making a strong move to be competitive in the specialty grocery scene. The Coastal retail outlet by United Noodle appears to have much expanded grocery options highlighting the takeover. Worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood.

 

[LostHighway]

It is good to see that Lee Kum Kee seems to be a reputable brand. Standing in a packed aisle, knowing some brands are going to be terrible, I’m glad I picked a winner for the double fermented. The Pearl River I got by searching the forum to this thread while at the store. I figured it would be faster and more trustworthy than google and I was right. Thanks KKF!

@LostHighway
I went to United Noodle. I ended up at Coastal Seafoods right down the street for some squid ink and they had some whiskey barrel aged fish sauce and other interesting stuff. I like red boat better btw. Coastal was purchased by Fortune Fish out of Chicago. They also purchased Classic Provisions and are making a strong move to be competitive in the specialty grocery scene. The Coastal retail outlet by United Noodle appears to have much expanded grocery options highlighting the takeover. Worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood.

@Chuckles, thanks for the update on Coastal and Classic Provisions. I'm still in quest of my Platonic ideal fish sauce. Red Boat 40°N wasn't quite punchy enough for my palate. I'm trying to track down New Town 60°N from this tasting https://ourdailybrine.com/fish-sauce-taste-test/ IME United is weaker on Vietnamese and Thai ingredients relative to Chinese or Japanese. I may pay a visit to Dragon Star and Golden Lion in Brooklyn Park to see what they stock. For South Asian groceries I hit Pooja in Columbia Heights. I'm in quest of an alternative to Holy Land for Middle Eastern ingredients if you have any suggestions?

 

[panda]

if you need extra funky try adding fermented shrimp paste to what ever fish sauce you have.

 

[Viggetorr]

Yeah, Lee Kum Kee light is my go to. I've seen many like the Pearl River Bridge light so got a bottle of it, gonna compare them. PRB mushroom is terrible though.