Soy Sauce

This fermented soy bean product is made throughout Southeast Asia and is available in a huge variety, both dark and light, and varying in thickness, saltiness and sweetness, qualities which can only be judged by tasting. The best Japanese soy sauce is Kikkoman, which includes fermented wheat and is thin, dark and salty; it should be used in all dishes with Japanese antecedents. Pearl River is one of the best Chinese soy sauces; it is an excellent dark, full-flavoured sauce. Kecap or ketjap manis is a thick Indonesian soy sauce sweetened with palm sugar; A.B.C. is a good brand. Kecap manis is different from kecap masin, also called black sauce, which is salty and not at all sweet.