Making Traditional Soy Sauce Seasoning
This is the foundational liquid used in professional kitchens to tie disparate ingredients together. It relies on the subtle extraction of aromatics rather than heavy reduction, maintaining the integrity of the soy's fermentation.
Use the best soy sauce you have.
Since this base is straightforward, the quality of the soy sauce dictates the final depth. Look for naturally brewed options without added caramel color.
- Small saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Glass storage jar
What goes in.
- 1 cupnaturally brewed soy sauce
- 2 tbspmirin
- 1 tbspbrown sugar
- 1-inch piecefresh ginger, smashed
- 2scallions, whites and light greens only, smashed
- 1 stripdried kombu (optional)
Avoid a rolling boil
Keep the liquid at a gentle tremor. If the soy sauce boils vigorously, the flavor becomes sharp and loses its subtle, nuanced edge.
The method.
Combine the ingredients
Place the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, and scallions in your saucepan. If using kombu, add it now.
Infuse
Place over low heat. Bring to a very light simmer; you should see small bubbles rising from the bottom, not breaking the surface aggressively.
Steep
Maintain this heat for 10 minutes to allow the aromatics to soften and yield their oils into the sauce.
Strain and cool
Remove from heat. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean glass jar. Discard the spent aromatics.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Let the seasoning rest for at least an hour before using so the flavors can marry.
Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
If you want a deeper, earthier profile, toast the ginger slices in the dry pan for 30 seconds before adding the liquids.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use light and dark soy sauce together?
Yes. Using a 50/50 mix provides both the saltiness of light soy and the color and body of dark soy.
What if the sauce tastes too salty?
Add a teaspoon of water or a splash more mirin to mellow the profile.
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