Best brand of Soy Sauce?

Question

I'm investigating all things east Asian these days. The local Asian supermarket has an entire aisle of soy sauces.

Which ones are best?

I bought a bottle of Lee Kum Kee, which is more flavorful than the Kikkoman I'm used to tasting. Wikipedia says I should get one that has yeast (koji). As the bottles are often in Chinese, how can I tell if it has koji?

Help!

Answer 1

You are right, there are many kind of Soy Sauce 'cos the Soy Sauce is a daily use seasoning for Chinese and Asia people.

Before we compare which Soy Sauce is the 'best brand' or 'more tasty', we have to know that they are produced at different place or countries. Example, Kikkoman is a Japanese brand of Soy Sauce and use in Shusi and other Japanese style of cooking. Lee Kum Kee is a Singapore brand of Soy Sauce that use widely in local Asia Chinese cooking (can't eat the famous Singapore chicken rice without it). In Singapore, there are many kind of Soy Sauce that use differently in different type of cooking, example light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce. Sweet Soy Sauce and many many more..... Even the brand Lee Kum Kee have wide range of production for cooking sauces.

If you read more about the Soy Sauce production, it is very interesting. Most of them (whether Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee) need yeast during the fermentation process. After fermented, product than need to under go an aging process for months or even years to produce the different favour. In Thailand or Vietnam, the local people like another kind of Soy Sauce, the 'Fish Sauce' which widely use in their cooking. The famous Vietnam Beef Noodle must eat or serve with the Fish sauce. In Malaysia, the Soy Sauce taste very much like Singapore style, Lee Kum Kee. But the favour has a stronger sweetness in it which is best for Chinese fried rice.

So... I will think the best brand of Soy Sauce is the one that fix well with the type of food or cooking that you are having.

Answer 2

Soy Sauce Brands

Answer 3

Best Soy Sauce

Answer 4

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/axJeG

If there is an Asian market near you go there. Pick a soy sauce that is vegetarian, which means no fish sauce added to it. Also check to see if there are peanuts in the soy sauce, I don't want peanuts but you might. These real Asian soy sauces are so superior and are inexpensive too.

Answer 5

LKK is good. Try to find Maggi seasoning (a small bottle with a red top). You can use it in soups (the large bottle with yellow top), but the small bottle is the best soy sauce I've ever had.

You may also want to try some dark soy sauces. Perhaps they may be more flavorful. Or else ask someone at the store. They should be able to recommend some great ones for you to try out.

Answer 6

I prefer Yamasa soy sauce, or "shouyu" as the Japanese call it. The taste is less salty than brands like Kikkoman and has more soy flavor. It's a bit more expensive but I think the flavor is 10x better. They've been making Yamasa in Japan since the 1645, the Tokugawa Shogun once designated it as the "Best Soy Sauce".

Answer 7

I used Kikkoman until I heard that Panda Express(which I love) used Lee Kum Kee and I switched to that and like it better then Kikkoman.

Quote from their website shows koji starter in the deluxe but I'm not sure about the regular.

"Lee Kum Kee Double Deluxe Soy Sauce is made with an ancient secret fermentation that combines high quality Koji Starter, selected soybean and flour, and double fermenting with naturally brewed soy sauce. With a scrumptious taste and the delectable aroma of soy, this great tradition lives on with Double Deluxe Soy Sauce."

Answer 8

I like Eden Selected Shoyu Soy Sauce, it's very good. This I get from a Japanese market, my local sushi chef highly recommended it and once I tried it, I was completely hooked.

Regular supermarket brand would be Lee Kum Kee.

Answer 9

My first choice is to look for soy sauces that are "Naturally Brewed".

Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman are good, but there are other naturally brewed soy sauce that you can try too.

Avoid brands that add caramel coloring and hydrolyzed soy protein... La Choy and Superior Brand (Chinese). Those are man-made colored salty water products.

Answer 10

Pacific Island soy