Soy Sauce World-Explanation of Soy Sauce

 

1. What is “white” soybean oil and “black” soybean oil

“Soy sauce” is called soybean oil in Taiwanese.

“White” soybean oil refers to making the color of soy sauce lighter through decolorizing technology when soy sauce is brewed with raw materials, so that the transparent amber is presented. Usually, “white” soybean oil is used to maintain the primary color of the food in cooking, for instance, Japanese cuisine. White soy sauce can also be said to be “light soy sauce”.

“Black” soybean oil refers to mixing the brown granulated sugar and other condiments when soy sauce is brewed with raw materials, so that black brown is presented. Usually, “black” soybean oil is used to cook red-cooked pork, stewed dishes and other dished with dark colors. Black soy sauce can also be said to be “dark soy sauce”.

 

2. What is “aged soy sauce?

We have searched lots of data and there are some disagreements in the statement of “aged soy sauce”. However, the statements can be classified into the following 3 types：

(1) In some books, it is said that the raw soy sauce with the first extract is the “aged soy sauce”.

(2) In some other books, it is said that in the same earthen jar, the juice in the lower layer is thicker than that in the upper layer, thus the juice in the lower layer is more delicious. Due to being located in the lower layer of the jar (pot), it is especially called “aged soy sauce”.

(3) There is another more detailed statement: the sauce is brewed by dry method and flows out from black soybean meal naturally after ripening and then precipitates at the bottom of the jar (pot). There is a stricter statement: the sauce also needs the long-term fermentation for over 1 year.

 

3. Black bean soy sauce in soy sauce

At the beginning of soy sauce project, we often cannot understand why soy sauce factory make the black bean soy sauce. Later, we see the data and gradually understand that black bean soy sauce is also a kind of soy sauce. Simply speaking, black bean soy sauce is distinguished by the soy sauce brewed by black soybean and the most widespread bean and wheat soy sauce (brewed by bean and wheat).

After knowing the similarities and differences between black bean soy sauce and soy sauce, then we have another question, why is it called black bean soy sauce？The soy sauce brewed by black soybean is the Taiwan’s soy sauce specialty. The biggest feature of this soy sauce is the fermentation and solar evaporation process in the jar. Fermentation in the jar is called “shade” in Taiwanese dialect, so the black soybean soy sauce is called black bean soy sauce. For the same reason, fermented soya bean is pronounced to be shade drum in Taiwanese dialect, and cucumber pickled with soy sauce is called soft cucumbers.

 

4. What is the first extract, the second extract and the third extract

In the earlier handmade soy sauce, there are the so-called nouns of “the first extract”, “the second extract” and “the third extract”. The grade of soy sauce is calculated according to the extracting times.

“The first extract” soy sauce is the best soy sauce, also called raw soy sauce, and aged soy sauce must be the soy sauce with the first extract.

“The second extract” soy sauce refers to the gains mixed with the juice left in the first extract, fermented soya beans and saline water through the exposure under the sun for a long time; it is the second grade and also the most widespread black bean soy sauce.

“The third extract” soy sauce refers to the gains mixed with the juice left in the second extract, fermented soya beans and saline water through the exposure under the sun for a long time; it is the lowest grade soy sauce.

In modern society, in consideration of cost and quality, soy sauce industry mostly gains the first extract juice. There are almost no manufacturers conducting the second extract and the third extract. The grade of soy sauce or black bean soy sauce is distinguished according to the subsequent dilution ratio.

 

5. Soy Sauce Dictionary

In the market, there are various nouns related to soy sauce. As for the traditional soy sauce brewing factory, only knowing about the following several nouns about soy sauce, you can distinguish what kind of soy sauce you would like to buy.

(1) Black bean soy sauce：referring to the pure brewing soy sauce with black soybean.

(2) White soy sauce：pure brewing soy sauce without color mixing by using caramel.

(3) Clear soy sauce：liquid soy sauce without adding sticky rice.

(4) Soy sauce paste：soy sauce paste boiled by adding the sticky rice.

(5) Aged soy sauce：soy sauce taken out of the bottom of the jar after brewing; there is also a statement that the black bean soy sauce is the aged soy sauce.

(6) Raw soy sauce：there is still the microorganism in the uncooked raw juice of soy sauce and the fermentation is continued in the bottle.

 

 

Data source：Chia Hsin Elementary School Cyberfair website 、Eat & Travel Weekly website；Photo source：Jiou Travel website