The Origin of Soy Sauce

YUMMY HISTORY OF

Soy sauce is a fermented seasoning that developed from preserved foods and their seasonings, known as jiang, in ancient China. It eventually made its way to Japan around the 7th century, whereby the middle of the 17th century the way of making soy sauce gradually developed into the traditional Japanese brewing process, which produces naturally brewed soy sauce. It has become an indispensable part of Japanese cuisine, and everything from sushi to soups has a dash of it.

Made using only three ingredients (wheat, soybeans and salt), traditionally brewed soy sauce is fermented and brewed for several months, resulting in a rich aroma and delicious taste. The hundreds of flavour components that form as a result of the fermentation process give soy sauce all of the five tastes and enable it to season almost anything. Soy sauce also helps to eliminate unpleasant odours from fish and meat, gives food a more appealing look, stimulates the appetite, and can also be used to enhance the original flavour of any ingredient.

Originally an Asian seasoning, it started being exported overseas to cater to the needs of Asian immigrants living abroad, and others soon started to use it to season other kinds of dishes. Exports of traditionally brewed Kikkoman Soy Sauce started in the mid-19th century. Kikkoman, with a history that dates back over 300 years ago, launched full-scale marketing efforts first in North America, then Europe, and later in other regions throughout the world from the middle of the 20th century.

As the world’s largest producer of soy sauce, Kikkoman now provides its naturally brewed soy sauce to consumers in over 100 countries all over the world. Now a global seasoning, soy sauce is used not only to season Asian cuisine but also used as a new part of local dishes. For example, it is being used to help marinate meat before barbecuing, added to ice cream to make it sweeter, and replaces salt in dishes to lower the amount of sodium.

In recent years, the popularity of soy sauce-based seasonings has also grown, with soy sauce being added to marinades, noodle soup bases, salad dressings, stews and even porridge. With growing health consciousness among consumers, low-salt versions and gluten-free soy sauce made without wheat have also appeared on the market. There are now chemically-produced soy sauces that can be manufactured within several weeks, but they do not compare to traditionally brewed soy sauce with its balanced flavour and aroma and use artificial additives and preservatives.

As soy sauce continues its evolution and becomes a part of more and more food cultures, it will undoubtedly be incorporated in various cuisines and dishes to create new unimaginable and tasty delights.