What's it called?
Light soy sauce, Chinese soy sauce, light soysauce, chou sheng (生 抽).
What is it?
Light soy sauce (fermented soybeans with wheat, water, salt and yeast) is less than other soy sauces had matured and is therefore lighter in color and taste, but zoutiger.
How to use?
As seasoning (such as in the West we use salt) added to various dishes and marinades. This in contrast to dark soy sauce which is usually not on the taste, but for the color is used. Can also undressed when dip is used, possibly with some other seasonings. Good to be replaced by Japanese soy sauce (Kikoman) Indonesian soy sauce or asin. Long to keep cool and dark.
Tips, tricks & recipes
- Wikipedia: comprehensive list of soy sauces in the world (english)
- Click here for our review: the types of soy sauce in a row
- Note: there are nepmerken on the market, those bottles look suspiciously like a premium brand and the content is often fake (colored water with flavorings). Read more about it in the mail: CopyCats
Qualifications and variants:
- Naturally brewed. Indeed, there are also soy sauces on the market not through natural fermentation brewed but are artificially pieced together from vegetable protein, corn syrup and caramel. Read more about these fake soy sauce in the post about copycats .
- Premium Light Soy Sauce (touchou [头抽]) is obtained from the first pressing of the soybeans. As with olive oil that is rated more highly than the second pressing.
- Double-Fermented soy sauce (Shuang huang [双璜]
What to buy?
 | Brand: Pearl River Bridge country of origin: China label: Superior Light Soy Sauce, naturally brewed生抽王 ingredients: water, soybeans, salt, wheat, preservative potassium sorbate price indication: ± € 0.90 - € 1.10 (500ml) |
 | Brand: Hua Tai country of origin: Singapore label: Premium Light Soy Sauce, naturally brewed ingredients: water, soy bean, salt, wheat flour, sugar, sodium benzoate approximate price: € ... (640ml) |
 | Brand: Hua Tai country of origin: Singapore label: Light Soy Sauce, naturally brewed ingredients: water, soy bean, salt, wheat flour, sugar, sodium benzoate approximate price: € ... (640ml) |
I thought it was insisted, but now see that the only Kikkoman insist. I find the information about them is also quite vewarrend, I read on the Dutch wikipedia :
"Almost all soy sauces get some alcohol added during the bottling process as a preservative. Therefore soy sauce should always be refrigerated. "
I have no time that alcohol is found in the ingredients list (like the yeast in the fermentation would be used) but I think I'd rather be safe than sorry. So they are in my fridge. Not least because in my kitchen unfortunately can be very hot in the summer and I got the idea that it cheerfully "further ferment."
Robin, why do you keep these soy sauces and soy sauce in the fridge? We do not do that (and the mother and grandmother that S. did not), never had a problem of deterioration or so.
I use Kikkoman for years and never store it in the refrigerator. That's good for years.
I always thought that this light soy sauce was less salty than regular soy sauce. I've learned from my father always light soy sauce to use to get some color and flavor of soy in the authentic cantonese fried rice ;)
Oh yes and in response to the comment MrOoijer: I never keep soy sauce in the refrigerator. Is not necessary, is to me just on the counter in the kitchen and you can really 'ages' some use. That does not spoil.
What do you mean by "ordinary soy sauce"?
The Kikkoman soy sauce for example. That is much more salty taste than the light soy sauce. So I use that never in the fried rice because then the whole is much too salty!
I sit them slightly together to taste, but it's hard to say. The Japanese is a little intense / concentrated / gefermenteerder of taste, the Chinese light soy sauce so uh something "softer" or "thinner", but I think it saltier. But I would not dare put my money, so clearly it is not.
What else is there to buy?
Brand: Brand Sunwick [product of China]
packaging: glass bottle, silver / red label (623ml)
label: Light Superior Soy Sauce, 生 抽 王
ingredients: water, soybean extract, wheat flour, salt.
price: € 1.10
Today bought at Toko Viet-Thai in Gorinchem.
Thanks, Ruud, for the photos you sent me this bottle. Sunwick appears to be a copycat. Read more about copycats in our post of today: copycats .
Yes or hear or not I do not know but I keep soy sauce in the refrigerator believed that that the label was. Another reason is lack of space.
I have already 10 spice jars stand outside the refrigerator, then further still a piece or 6 jar in the refrigerator must further groundnut oil, bags of rice and noodles, sesame oil, olive oil, packets heinz sieved tomatoes, pasta machine, etc ...
Can at least do no harm to the soy in the fridge.
Could it all just to lose, but if you want to cook then you're all needed (I cook mostly Chinese, Indonesian or Italian).
Does anyone know whether you Pearl River Bridge light soy sauce as Kecap Asin can use?
Yes, asin soy sauce and Chinese light soy sauce are almost the same.
This Pearl River Bridge light soy sauce is very salty veeeeeery say.
That I have not seen other soy sauces.
Very dominant. If 1 EL is better I think I can use 1 tsp or something else I taste the rest no longer the predominant salt taste. I had some soy sauces gebrobeerd but they were all veeel less salt.
What brand should I take if I want Chinese light soy sauce with less salt?
Well, I think all those light soy sauces really quite alike in taste and zoutigheid. The rule is, the lighter, saltier. And yes, light soy sauce or soy sauce tastes very different indeed. Did you accidentally a fake bottle of Pearl River Bridge bought?
Kikoman has a low-salt version in its range. Maybe you do a search, but just a little more careful to add the light soy sauce seems more convenient.
I have the "real" Pearl River Bridge purchased. I had last time the proportions just wrong I think. I had the week chilli chicken with cashew nuts and spring onions and had made one (the recipe) but half a fluorescent light soy sauce is needed. So when I got all the ingredients "exactly according to my measuring spoons had done it tastes really perfect.
So there is nothing wrong with soy sauce, you just have not put in too much.
Happy!
Japanese soy sauce is once opened soon to talk back and be better in the refrigerator. I read people who for years kikkoman a bottle on the counter have stand and say that it does not matter. Pull a fresh bottle once again and compare it with the total oxidized product from the old bottle, you do not know what difference you can taste. The nasty mealy sugary goo that makes hot sauce kecap indeed less from ..
Personally I think the Thai soy sauce "Mae Krua White Label, the best. It is not too salty and natural light in color. Also I keep this sauce in the fridge. There is so much salt in it really well long remain outside the refrigerator.
I know the Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian soy sauce, Thai I've never tried. Thank you, my to-do list getting longer. :-)