More recently, in our country, no one knew what soy sauce is. Its widespread use began only in the nineties of the last century.
Product History
The homeland of soy sauce is China. The first mention of this product is found in the 2nd century BC. There are many assumptions about the reason for its creation. Someone speaks of the shortage of salt at that time and the desire of people to use it most economically. Others argue that this was due to the desire of the ancient monks who, for religious purposes, tried to force people to eat only vegetarian food and completely abandon dairy and meat products. One way or another, it was then that an unknown soy sauce appeared. Its use in food has become mandatory and quite familiar. Very soon, this product crossed the borders of its country and began to spread rapidly around the world. The Japanese were the first to fall in love with an unusual sauce, and with the help of Dutch sailors they learned about it in many countries of Europe. Chefs gladly used this unusual Asian seasoning to give a new taste to long-known dishes.
The technology of manufacturing sauce and its varieties
Nowadays, soy sauce is prepared differently. However, in any case, the technology of its production is associated with the fermentation of a mixture of fried wheat and boiled beans in the presence of certain types of fungi and its subsequent fermentation and pasteurization. This is how real soy sauce is made. Its use in cooking has practically no restrictions with the exception of desserts. It is used as a piquant flavoring additive for meat and fish dishes, as well as for the preparation of various dressings and marinades. In addition, it is used as the basis for the preparation of other sauces: mushroom, mustard, shrimp and others. Three types of soy sauce are distinguished depending on the aging and duration of the fermentation of the product and its field of application:
- light coloured,
- dark,
- sweet.
Each of them has its own characteristic features in the recipe and cooking technology, and this in turn affects how the product is used. Take, for example, dark soy sauce. Its use is limited to meat dishes and all kinds of marinades. The reason is that this sauce is thick, concentrated, aromatic and almost not salty. The light type of sauce is less aromatic, but more salty and therefore used for the preparation of various salads. A sweet contains palm sugar and is able not only to decorate a dessert, but also beneficial to emphasize the taste of any meat or vegetable dishes.
How to use soy sauce
Many people like soy sauce. Application, recipes and methods for its manufacture are constantly expanding and improving. Adding lime, tomato paste, sesame oil or honey to it allows you to cook completely new sauces. And the use of cinnamon, ginger, anise, mustard or garlic as an additive gives the dishes a completely unique flavor. Soy sauce can even make a real delicacy out of the most unsightly plants. For example, the classic "teriyaki". It can be easily done at home, measuring out the components with tablespoons. To do this, you only need:
3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger and 3 tablespoons of Mirin wine (if it doesn’t turn out, you can use sake, vermouth dry or any dessert wine).
Teriyaki is being prepared in one go:
- In a small saucepan, combine all the components, mix, and then warm for 6-8 minutes over low heat.
Teriyaki is ready. Now it remains only to cool. This is best done in the refrigerator. After that, the aromatic mixture can be used as a dressing for all kinds of salads, as well as fish dishes and various seafood. The main role in this piquant mass is played by soy sauce. The use, recipes and choice of products depend on additional ingredients.
Meat in spicy sauce
In Asian cuisine, special attention is paid to meat dishes . Among them, there are many different recipes that necessarily use soy sauce. Applying this aromatic additive to meat allows you to radically change its taste. Take, for example, the recipe for spicy sweet and sour chicken. First you need to prepare the following products:
half a kilogram of chicken fillet (or legs) 6 cloves of garlic, 130 grams of fried cashew nuts, a tablespoon of starch, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, ground black pepper and a little green onion.
Cooking should be done as follows:
- Roll the chicken fillet (or legs) in starch, salt, sprinkle with pepper, and then fry for 5-6 minutes in oil in a hot pan.
- Put the meat in a bowl and set aside, and lightly fry chopped garlic with chopped onions in the same pan for 30 seconds.
- Put the meat back into the pan, add the sauce and half a glass of water. Simmer for 1 minute, and then put the products still hot on a plate and sprinkle with onions and nuts.
Such a dish to taste will be in good harmony with pasta.
Rice abundance
Where only soy sauce is not used? Application with rice, for example, is not limited to the combination of "main course + side dish". Both of these components can be easily combined and get completely new recipes from already known products. For example, rice with vegetables. You will need:
250 grams of rice (it is better to take "Basmati"), 1 each of carrots, sweet bell pepper, onion and cucumber, a tablespoon of sunflower oil and soy sauce.
Process technology:
- Boil the washed rice for 10 minutes in boiling water, rinse and let stand under the lid for another 10-15 minutes.
- At this time, fry the chopped onion in oil for 5 minutes.
- Add the grated carrots and continue to fry the same amount.
- Then remove from heat and pour a couple of tablespoons of sauce into the pan.
- Transfer rice, pepper, cucumber into a pan and mix well.
Now the dish can be eaten, and lovers can pour it in a bowl of soy sauce in addition.
Fragrant addition to dishes
Quite often, recipes have recently come across that use soy sauce. Application for sauces and dressings does not limit the scope of its use. Often it acts as a “dip sauce”, that is, the liquid in which the cooked product is dipped. A good taste is a mixture prepared from the following products:
2 tablespoons of soy white sauce and white rice vinegar, 1 spoon of sugar and chili oil, 2-3 cloves of garlic, salt and ½ teaspoon of sodium glutamate.
How to cook such a sauce? To do this:
- Chilli pepper cut into thin rings and passaged in a small amount of oil.
- Transfer it to the bowl and add the crushed garlic in the press.
- Then, alternately add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Add chili oil to taste.
Now the finished sour-sweet-salty sauce can be served with fish, meat and all kinds of vegetables. It is equally good both in hot and in cold form.
Where is soy sauce used?
In many countries, this unique product is called the real king among the variety of sauces. And this is quite fair. Why is soy sauce so good? Its use in cooking is quite extensive. This product can simultaneously perform four different functions:
- marinade,
- gas station
- component,
- independent dish.
As a marinade, it not only gives a special flavor to the main product, but also significantly reduces the period of its preparation. And if special aromatic and flavoring additives are added to the main recipe, then you can get many different unique dressings. In addition, the use of soy sauce as an ingredient makes it possible to exclude salt from the recipe, and this helps to make any dish more useful for the human body. As a separate dish, soy sauce will never be superfluous on the table. There is always a product for which it is simply necessary. You only need to carefully think through the menu and add a couple of strokes in time.