Soy

The cornerstone of all Asian cooking, soy sauce is produced from fermented soya beans, rice and mould. Each country has its own distinct flavour that suits its cuisine. Shoyu (Japanese) soy sauce is sweeter and cleaner, while Chinese and Thai soy sauces tend to be on the saltier side. Tamari is a wheat-free soy sauce, but has a stronger flavour so use in smaller amounts. In a perfect world you might stock all of them depending on what you are cooking, but see what your cupboards can hold.