Soy sauce is an indispensable condiment in our kitchen and on the dining table. However, many people can’t tell what is dark soy sauce and what is light soy sauce? How to use them? When cooking, it doesn't matter if you use dark soy sauce or light soy sauce, just put a little bit of it. To make distinctive dishes, you must distinguish between dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, and know their respective characteristics and how to use them.

Light soy sauce and dark soy sauce are both soy sauces produced through brewing and fermentation.

●Light soy sauce

Color: The color of light soy sauce is relatively light, reddish brown.

Taste: Light soy sauce is used for general cooking and tastes salty.

Usage: Light soy sauce is used for seasoning. Because of its light color, it is often used in general stir-fries or cold dishes.

Preparation of light soy sauce: Light soy sauce is a variety of soy sauce. It uses soybeans and flour as the main raw materials, is artificially mixed with koji, and is naturally exposed and fermented. Its products are ruddy in color, delicious and harmonious in taste, rich in soybean flavor, clear and transparent in body, and unique in flavor.

●Dark soy sauce

Color: Dark soy sauce is added with caramel color, the color is very dark, tan and shiny.

Taste: There is a delicious and slightly sweet feeling after eating it.

Uses: Generally used to color food. For example, it is better to use it when making braised dishes that require coloring.

Preparation of dark soy sauce: Dark soy sauce is based on light soy sauce. The pressed soy sauce is sun-dried for 2-3 months. After precipitation and filtration, dark soy sauce is obtained. Its product quality is richer than light soy sauce.

●The umami flavor of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce

The umami flavor of soy sauce depends on the content of amino acid phthalonitrogen. Generally speaking, the higher the amino acid phthalonitrogen content, the higher the grade of soy sauce. The higher, the better the quality. According to my country's standards for brewing soy sauce, amino acid phthalonitrile >0.8g/100 ml is considered special grade; >0.7/100 ml is classified as first grade; >0.55/100 ml is classified as second grade; >0.4/100 ml is classified as third grade. However, it does not mean that the higher the amino acid phthalonitrile, the better the soy sauce. Because the nitrogen-based phthalate helium blended with soy sauce is also very high, or some unscrupulous suppliers have added a lot of umami agents and amino acids in it, but this does not mean that it is a very good soy sauce.

●Distinguish light soy sauce and dark soy sauce

Look at the color: You can pour the soy sauce into a white porcelain plate and shake the color. Light soy sauce is reddish brown, while dark soy sauce is tan. And shiny.

Taste: Light soy sauce tastes salty; dark soy sauce has a delicious and slightly sweet taste when eaten in your mouth.