Soy sauce (酱油或豉油) is probably the most well-known among all the Chinese condiments. Invented in China in the 2nd century AD, it is loved dearly by Chinese cooks for its great flavour and versatility.
There are mainly two types of soy sauce commonly used in Chinese kitchens: light soy sauce (生抽) and dark soy sauce (老抽).
Once I was asked by a friend: Does light mean reduced saltiness? The answers is No. Light describes its colour and consistency: a brownish-red water-like liquid, whereas dark soy sauce is pure black and has a much thicker consistency.
Light soy sauce is used during all kinds of preparation and cooking processes, as well as for flavouring all types of ingredients: dressing cold dishes, stir-frying, braising, steaming, marinating, dumpling filling seasoning, dipping sauces, etc.
In my recipes, I always state clearly which type of soy sauce is called for. However, please bear in mind that when using other recipes or purchasing, soy sauce stands for “light soy sauce” if it’s not specifically stated.
Dark soy sauce tastes less salty and sometimes contains sweetener like molasses. It’s a great condiment to give an appetising final look to dishes. It’s essential for red-cooked (braised, 红烧) meat or vegetable dishes, such as Red-cooked Pork Belly.
However, if you don’t have dark soy sauce to hand, please feel free to replace it with light soy sauce without compromising much the flavour.
As its name indicates, soy sauce is a sauce made from soybeans. However, it is worth noting that Chinese soy sauce also contains grains, such as wheat or barley. Gluten-free soy sauce is available in some Japanese brands, Kikkoman for example.
Another note: soy sauce from different countries or brands may vary in flavour, especially the saltiness level. Adjust the quantity needed for my recipes accordingly.
the only light soy sauce for sale at grocery is less sodium.
same if search it online.
a specific link or brand you have bought would be good .
Soy sauce brands that are available outside China include Pearl River Bridge (珠江桥), Lee Kum Kee (李锦记) Haitian (海天), etc. If a bottle labelled as “soy sauce”, you can use it as light soy sauce. Hope this is clear.
What brand of light soy sauce do you use?
Do you know if La Choy brand soy sauce is light or dark? It is dark in color but thin as water so I’m confused.
The soy sauce brands I use most often are Pearl River Bridge (珠江桥), Lee Kum Kee(李锦记) and Haday Haitian (海天). Light soy sauce looks dark too but it has a consistency like water. The dark version has a much thicker consistency.
Thanks for the info! Very useful
What about Black soy sauce? I have a bottle of it and I just noticed the ingredients contains molasses, so it’s a dark soy? Thank you!
Black soy sauce (or double black soy sauce) is another variety which has a thicker consistency and sweeter taste (because of the molasses) than dark soy sauce. However, in most cases it’s fine to use black soy sauce as a substitute for dark soy sauce.
Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is really frustrating. A good site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.
Yes, you can subscribe through this link: Red House Spice Newsletter. Happy cooking!
Hello! I prefere to buy naturally brewed soy sauce, but I am not sure if it is light soy sauce or dark? Usually it is not specified.
Have a good day
Monica
Hi Monica! If it’s not specified, it should be light soy sauce (regular soy sauce). Have a great day you too!