5 ms·

I delved into the world of soy sauce a few years back and id say if your looking to go beyond kikkoman, or god forbid that swill they call la choy, go for kimla

I delved into the world of soy sauce a few years back and id say if your looking to go beyond kikkoman, or god forbid that swill they call la choy, go for kimlan. super special, I-Jen (for something a little different), light, or aged..pearl river bridge isn't too bad either just watch out for brands with a bunch of added chemicals in the ingredients

getnormality 1y ago
Pearl River Bridge has a seasoned soy sauce that's been my constant for over a decade.
eth0up 1y ago
La choy is to soy sauce what Maruchen is to real ramen or Kraft to French cheese. Try San J, available in most 'health' grocers, eg Food Hole, Sprouts, etc. it's not fine, but it's good.
- metaphor 1y ago
  > La choy is to soy sauce what Maruchen is to real ramen Oh come on now, surely Maruchan deserves a bit more credit...at the very least, no one is breaking the bank while desecrating their soul. In contrast, at my local Walmart, a 15-oz bottle of La Choy is priced +50% higher than its (subjectively superior) Kikkoman alternative of the same size!
  - eth0up 1y ago
    I'm enjoying the throes of salmonella presently and it all seems unappealing. The fucking pain. But even in this wretched state, I have some memory of desire for Paldo, but none for Maruchan. Yeah, I'm in genuine agony, probably preparing to puke from all holes, and I'm reading HN... while writhing and moaning. I guess you could say I'm sick. And so is la choy
    - eth0up 1y ago
      [flagged]
rustcleaner 1y ago
Will vouch for Kimlan, my late mother's favorite!
SwtCyber 1y ago
Once you step outside the usual suspects like Kikkoman, there's a whole world of nuance out there.
gniv 1y ago
Which prepared foods show off the qualities of the soy sauce best? I feel like in most of my cooking the soy sauce is overpowered.
- throwaway2037 1y ago
  This is a good question. I would offer that there are at least two major types of soy sauce: light and dark. They are used in a variety of ways in Northeast Asian cooking (Mainland China, Koreas, Japan, Taiwan, Hongkong, Macao). For example, when you steam a fish (southern Chinese/Canto style), you use a combination of light and dark soy sauces. (I have no idea why, but this is a traditional recipe taught to me years ago.) Soy sauce has two primary "taste" components (previously I discussed visual components): (a) the fermented soy beans and (b) the umami (MSG/monosodium glutamate). Even if you feel like (a) is overwhelmed by your cooking, it is still enhanced by (b) which, for most people, makes any savory food taste more appealing. For me, nothing beats raw fish (sashimi or sushi) as a taste test for a soy sauce, but I frequently use a mixture with Japanese ponzu... so ignore any expertise that I have on the matter! I am sure that each culinary region in Northeast Asia will have a different answer. You could probably interview 100 chefs from the region and get 25 different answers. Lastly, there is a third type of soy sauce used in Southeast Asia called sweet soy sauce, or kecap manis in Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia.
  - unwind 1y ago
    Surely, "salt" has to be mentioned when talking about the primary taste components of soy? Normal soy is around 17% salt, which is a lot and really plays a part, in my opinion.
    - dismalaf 1y ago
      Soy sauce is meant to largely replace the salt component of your dish. If you're using so much that it's particularly salty, you're using too much. Way back in the day, when salt was scarce and expensive, the whole point of stuff like fish sauce, miso, soy sauce, etc... was to provide salt but also cut it by adding other ingredients.
exhilaration 1y ago
or god forbid that swill they call la choy An interesting note: La Choy is synthetically fermented (whatever what means!) and is usually the only alcohol-free option for those with medical or religious restrictions on the consumption of alcohol. Soy sauce is specifically listed as something recovering alcoholics taking Antabuse should avoid [1], though I've read it only rarely triggers any reaction. But there is a sometimes a reason for La Choy! [1] https://advantagetherapy.com.au/the-impact-of-antabuse-on-alcohol-dependency/ https://advantagetherapy.com.au/the-impact-of-antabuse-on-al...
- konfusinomicon 1y ago
  yikes, antabuse users I'll give a sympathetic pass, but if whatever god one prays to condemns its followers to a life to salty water+caramel coloring condiments, all believers must collectively come together in songs of praise to request a slight rule change.
  - teleforce 1y ago
    A tiny amount of alcohol produced through natural fermentation, especially less than 1%, is generally considered permissible or halal. The main verses from the Quran for alcohol intoxicant prohibition come from this verse [1]: O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions are all evil of Satan’s handiwork. So shun them so you may be successful. And another [2]: They ask you O Prophet about intoxicants and gambling. Say, “There is great evil in both, as well as some benefit for people - but the evil outweighs the benefit. They also ask you O Prophet what they should donate. Say, Whatever you can spare. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you believers, so perhaps you may reflect. Fun facts, Surah Al-Maidah name literal meaning is The Table Spread with Food, in reference to the event of the Jesus apostles were asking for ready foods directly from heavens, from God (not Jesus since Islam consider him as one of the prophets sent by God similar to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Muhammad). This particular event is famously known as The Last Supper [3]. [1] Surah Al-Maidah (The Table Spread with Food), verse 90: https://quran.com/al-maidah/90 https://quran.com/al-maidah/90 [2] Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow), verse 219: https://quran.com/ms/al-baqarah/219 https://quran.com/ms/al-baqarah/219 [3] Last Supper (Section: In Islam): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper

getnormality 1y ago

Pearl River Bridge has a seasoned soy sauce that's been my constant for over a decade.

eth0up 1y ago

La choy is to soy sauce what Maruchen is to real ramen or Kraft to French cheese. Try San J, available in most 'health' grocers, eg Food Hole, Sprouts, etc. it's not fine, but it's good.

metaphor 1y ago
> La choy is to soy sauce what Maruchen is to real ramen Oh come on now, surely Maruchan deserves a bit more credit...at the very least, no one is breaking the bank while desecrating their soul. In contrast, at my local Walmart, a 15-oz bottle of La Choy is priced +50% higher than its (subjectively superior) Kikkoman alternative of the same size!
- eth0up 1y ago
  I'm enjoying the throes of salmonella presently and it all seems unappealing. The fucking pain. But even in this wretched state, I have some memory of desire for Paldo, but none for Maruchan. Yeah, I'm in genuine agony, probably preparing to puke from all holes, and I'm reading HN... while writhing and moaning. I guess you could say I'm sick. And so is la choy
  - eth0up 1y ago
    [flagged]

rustcleaner 1y ago

Will vouch for Kimlan, my late mother's favorite!

SwtCyber 1y ago

Once you step outside the usual suspects like Kikkoman, there's a whole world of nuance out there.

gniv 1y ago

Which prepared foods show off the qualities of the soy sauce best? I feel like in most of my cooking the soy sauce is overpowered.

throwaway2037 1y ago
This is a good question. I would offer that there are at least two major types of soy sauce: light and dark. They are used in a variety of ways in Northeast Asian cooking (Mainland China, Koreas, Japan, Taiwan, Hongkong, Macao). For example, when you steam a fish (southern Chinese/Canto style), you use a combination of light and dark soy sauces. (I have no idea why, but this is a traditional recipe taught to me years ago.) Soy sauce has two primary "taste" components (previously I discussed visual components): (a) the fermented soy beans and (b) the umami (MSG/monosodium glutamate). Even if you feel like (a) is overwhelmed by your cooking, it is still enhanced by (b) which, for most people, makes any savory food taste more appealing. For me, nothing beats raw fish (sashimi or sushi) as a taste test for a soy sauce, but I frequently use a mixture with Japanese ponzu... so ignore any expertise that I have on the matter! I am sure that each culinary region in Northeast Asia will have a different answer. You could probably interview 100 chefs from the region and get 25 different answers. Lastly, there is a third type of soy sauce used in Southeast Asia called sweet soy sauce, or kecap manis in Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia.
- unwind 1y ago
  Surely, "salt" has to be mentioned when talking about the primary taste components of soy? Normal soy is around 17% salt, which is a lot and really plays a part, in my opinion.
  - dismalaf 1y ago
    Soy sauce is meant to largely replace the salt component of your dish. If you're using so much that it's particularly salty, you're using too much. Way back in the day, when salt was scarce and expensive, the whole point of stuff like fish sauce, miso, soy sauce, etc... was to provide salt but also cut it by adding other ingredients.

exhilaration 1y ago

or god forbid that swill they call la choy An interesting note: La Choy is synthetically fermented (whatever what means!) and is usually the only alcohol-free option for those with medical or religious restrictions on the consumption of alcohol. Soy sauce is specifically listed as something recovering alcoholics taking Antabuse should avoid [1], though I've read it only rarely triggers any reaction. But there is a sometimes a reason for La Choy! [1] https://advantagetherapy.com.au/the-impact-of-antabuse-on-alcohol-dependency/ https://advantagetherapy.com.au/the-impact-of-antabuse-on-al...

konfusinomicon 1y ago
yikes, antabuse users I'll give a sympathetic pass, but if whatever god one prays to condemns its followers to a life to salty water+caramel coloring condiments, all believers must collectively come together in songs of praise to request a slight rule change.
- teleforce 1y ago
  A tiny amount of alcohol produced through natural fermentation, especially less than 1%, is generally considered permissible or halal. The main verses from the Quran for alcohol intoxicant prohibition come from this verse [1]: O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions are all evil of Satan’s handiwork. So shun them so you may be successful. And another [2]: They ask you O Prophet about intoxicants and gambling. Say, “There is great evil in both, as well as some benefit for people - but the evil outweighs the benefit. They also ask you O Prophet what they should donate. Say, Whatever you can spare. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you believers, so perhaps you may reflect. Fun facts, Surah Al-Maidah name literal meaning is The Table Spread with Food, in reference to the event of the Jesus apostles were asking for ready foods directly from heavens, from God (not Jesus since Islam consider him as one of the prophets sent by God similar to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Muhammad). This particular event is famously known as The Last Supper [3]. [1] Surah Al-Maidah (The Table Spread with Food), verse 90: https://quran.com/al-maidah/90 https://quran.com/al-maidah/90 [2] Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow), verse 219: https://quran.com/ms/al-baqarah/219 https://quran.com/ms/al-baqarah/219 [3] Last Supper (Section: In Islam): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper