What soy sauce is Tamari closest to?
There are a great many variations on the theme of 'Soy sauce'. And whilst there are lots of descriptions of the difference, I can't find the answer to this question:
Which other soy sauce(s?) is Tamari closest too.
My specific scenario is this:
I use and intend to continue using Tamari as my go-to "soy sauce". But I've been seeing a lot of recipes asking for Chinese light AND dark soy sauce. So I'm thinking of buying 1 other "actual" soy sauce to complement my tamari in these recipes.
Which other soy sauce should I buy, light or dark.
(Just in case ...) Is this actually a good idea or will it Not Work, for some reason?
Thanks!
Best Answer
Your typical Tamari is, to my understanding, going to be closer to dark than light soy sauce. So you'd want light as a second soy sauce.
Inside Japan, there are five kinds of soy sauce:
- Koikuchi, which is your most typical soy sauce
- Usukuchi, which is lighter because it has fermented rice in it
- Tamari, which has more soy than wheat and thus is a bit darker
- Shiro, which has more wheat than soy and thus is a bit lighter
- Saishikomi, which is "twice-brewed" and thus twice as dark
In China, you have two: regular "light" soy sauce, and "dark", which is the light stuff processed further and aged. Therefore, "sashikomi" is the Japanese equivalent to dark soy sauce, if you want to stick with Japanese classifications.
If your recipes are aimed at english-speaking audiences, however, the terms are likely to be used a lot looser and less precisely than in Japan or China. Kikkoman, which is the biggest name brand I've seen in the US, brews a regular, a Tamari, and a gluten-free (Tamari can have some gluten in it). Therefore, I would normally assume that to an American chef, "dark soy sauce" is Tamari. "Light soy sauce" might mean the low-sodium stuff, or it might mean Shiro or Usukuchi. Your basic unqualified "soy sauce" is Koikuchi.
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Quick Answer about "What soy sauce is Tamari closest to?"
1. Soy Sauce. Easily the closest, and most widely available tamari substitute is any soy sauce. There will be slight differences in flavour but generally I find them pretty interchangeable.Can I sub soy sauce for tamari?
You may notice that some recipes list tamari as a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce. You can use tamari in place of soy sauce in many recipes\u2014simply swap equal parts soy sauce for tamari and you'll be making stir-fry in no time.Is Kikkoman the same as tamari?
Kikkoman Tamari Soy Sauce is darker, milder and more aromatic than regular soy sauce. Its specific flavor and color are ideal for recipes that feature delicate, refined flavors.Are tamari and soy sauce the same?
As mentioned above, tamari is usually brewed without wheat or with trace levels of wheat. In contrast, soy sauce is brewed with soybeans and wheat. The differences in the brewing methods often leads to a higher protein content in tamari. Visually, tamari is darker and thicker than soy sauce.TAMARI VS SOY SAUCE: WHY JAPANESE RESTAURANTS USE TAMARI What is Tamari sauce? Let's take a look
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Answer 2
Tamari (which is essentially soy sauce made without using flour) is generally darker and richer than Chinese style soy sauces. Therefore it is closer to dark soy sauce, so if you want to balance it, go for a light soy sauce.
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