A recipe needs light soy sauce but it is not available in my place.Can I replace it with dark soy sauce?

Question

What is the difference of light soy sauce with the ordinary type soy sauce & dark soy sauce?

Answer 1

My impression is that the light has less calories and salt. I use it because sometimes the dark makes the dish too salty. I would use the dark, only start by using less and see how it goes.

Answer 2

Basically, they both taste salty. But light soy sauce has a bit sweet accent taste sweet (ONLY A BIT!!). And the dark soy sauce is saltier. And it depends on the brands. There are brands that taste saltier than another brands (for both, light and dark soy sauce). And it also could happen that a light soy sauce from a brand tastes saltier than a dark soy sauce from another brand (I've found this many times!). But normally, light soy sauce supposed to tastes a bit sweet and less salty than the dark one.
From the smell, they both smell almost the same. Sometimes you even cant tell the difference by smelling it. Cuz it also depends on the brands.
And from the color, most of them has the same dark color. But there are also some soy sauces have lighter colors, but it doesn't mean the lighter color is the light soy sauce. It depends on the brands.

YES, you always can substitute light soy sauce with dark soy sauce. Juz use half of the amount needed for light soy sauce. You also can mix dark soy sauce with a bit water if you want, so the taste wont be too salty. And you also can add a bit sugar to your recipe to get the sweet taste from the light soy sauce.

You also can substitute light soy sauce with dark soy sauce. You juz need to put a bit more salt to get the salty taste.

By substituting light soy sauce with dark soy sauce, or the other way, WONT make too much different of the taste. No one would realize it including you (including me too). You only have to add the things I've mentioned above.

I'm an Asian, and I cook almost everyday with soy sauce. And I have a restaurant back home.
Happy cooking ;-)

Answer 3

Simple Minded is right, they are very different. Do not guess the tastes of soy sauces! Different brands taste different and I do not know what kind do you have there and what is your recipe, I cannot advise much here.

Try the taste of your dark soy sauce, if you think you like your dish with the taste you have got there, use it, but adjust it with other seasonings.

Answer 4

Actually, there's not much difference between light soy sauce and
dark soy sauce. The latter is made thicker by using more molasses, a brown sugary substance, resulting it more sweeter than the light one. However, you may use the dark sauce in
replacement of the light one for your cooking recipe. Please make
sure that you use a little bit as it is quite thick.

Answer 5

I am afraid not. Dark soy sauce and light soy sauce taste very different!
Dark soy sauce is sweeter, while light soy sauce is saltier.

Answer 6

a light soy sauce simply means less sodium. Definitely better for you being soy sauce is extremely high in sodium!

Answer 7

Maybe try diluting the dark soy with a little water. I think the dark is richer in flavour but less salty than light, so don't forget to check seasoning as you go.

Answer 8

You certainly can. Only difference is that Lite Soy contains less sodium.

Answer 9

if you are using dark soy sauce, add a little lime juice to negate the extra sweetness and a little extra salt... hope it works... all the best.

Answer 10

dark is more concentrated, I would use half of what it says in your recipe to subsitute for light :)