Soy Sauce

The most often used of all Japanese flavorings, soy sauce evokes much national pride. Naturally brewed from fermented soybeans, the sauce has a rich, yeasty, salty, deep flavor. Beware that there are pretenders to soy sauce out there that are not soy sauce at all, but rather chemical flavorings. I keep a large bottle of regular soy sauce in the refrigerator at all times. Kikkoman is a leading brand internationally and is widely available. Other types are sold, such as a lighter-colored soy sauce that some cooks use because it appears more attractive in certain dishes, as well as low-sodium and dark soy sauces. I use only regular soy sauce for the recipes in this book.