Which variant of soy sauce do you often use? (Source: Pexels) The popularity of Chinese food in India needs no retelling. From kiosks to fine dining restaurants, most eateries serve this cuisine. As such, some ingredients that are used to make these dishes, have become increasingly common in many households, too. One of them being: soy sauce.
But there are some common varities of soy sauce available in the market, namely light and dark soy sauce. And since they look similar, it can sometimes get confusing to differentiate between the two. So how do you do that?
Worry not, Chef Kunal Kapur recently answered this query in an Instagram video:
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The chef mentioned that the stark colour difference between the two sauces, when poured onto a white plate, should be the first point to note.
“Dark soy sauce has a much darker colour than the light soy variant, which has a light caramel colour, and you should be able to clearly see the difference as soon as you pour a little amount of each onto a plate,” he explained.
Chef Kunal then advised to check for the difference in viscosity. Dark soy sauce, by nature, is denser and thicker than light soy sauce, which creates the difference in taste and umami.
“I would recommend using light soy sauce as a flavouring agent, or as a dipping for your dim sums or momos. It will bring a subtle taste to your dishes. It has a milder flavour as compared to the darker variety,” he suggested.
Alternatively, use dark soy sauce when making Chinese stir fries, kung pao or chilly chicken which requires a darker colour and has a heavier taste on the palate.
We hope that these tips help you on your next Chinese cooking adventure!
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