PolitiCook.net

China’s Black Gold

Originated in China and known as Yiang Yong, soy sauce has been a staple in China for thousands of years. When it comes to cooking Chinese food, it is by far the most widely used ingredient. As a result of travel, and broadened trading routes, soy sauce is now widely used in Japan, Korea, and all throughout the Southeast Asian Countries, as well as in the western world.

Soy sauce is used with rice, when stir frying, as part of a main dish, or as an ingredient in dipping sauce. Most people are not aware of the differences between light and dark soy sauces, or differences between brands of one type or another, be they slowly aged or artificially prepared.

Soy sauce and other foods, made from soybeans are items the Chinese have been relying on for at least 5,000 years. The soybean plant was first known as ta teou which means big bean. It was revered as one of the five sacred grains, along with rice, wheat, barley, and millet.

From early history, soybeans have been providing the Chinese people with a meat alternative that is highly nutritious, healthy and inexpensive. In addition, soy is known for its ability to replenish crops because of its high nitrogen content, also the bean itself fixes nitrogen in the soil. When was first brought to the United States, these beans were referred to as “Green Manure.” They were also used as feed to sustain the animals for farming and agriculture.

Soy sauce, as a by product of soybeans, was developed about 2,000 years ago. Historically, it was the cooked and mashed beans that were fermented for 30 days with salt and water yielding a dark brown liquid and a mash. When the aging process was completed, the mixture was strained and jarred. Today, many variations of soy sauce are made from soybeans. They are mixed with grains, usually wheat, also with yeast. The best soy sauces are made slowly, fermented for several months.

There are two basic types of soy sauce used in Chinese cooking, light and dark. Dark soy is aged much longer than light, giving it a brownish black color and much thicker texture. As its name suggests, light soy has a lighter color, plus a saltier flavor. It is used more in cooking, where the dark soy sauce is used more as a condiment. When stocking the pantry, you should always keep both on hand. Today, there are also mushroom, fish, and may other soy sauces, each with a different flavor. Non brewed soy sauces are chemically produced by hydrolyzing plant protein then adding colorings, salt water, caramel, and corn syrup. Semi brewed soy sauces are also produced, but by combining the two methods just described. When chemically produced, the proteins in the soybeans are decomposed by high heat and the addition of hydrochloric acid, then neutralized by bicarbonate, and finally they have sugar, salt, and caramel added. This method also results in a product lacking in flavor and aroma compared to brewed versions.

Make sure you buy the right product, the brewed kind. I personally use Tamari, the Japanese version as it is wheat free.