Flavored soy sauces, from fab to flop
Soy sauce is a kitchen staple, a flavor powerhouse that offers such a huge umami punch that it puts salt to shame. Amp up that sauce with extra flavor — mushroom, shrimp, smoke — and it’s magic, a sauce that can serve as dip, soup starter or marinade.
Flavored soy sauces are not new. Chinese sauce makers have been infusing soy sauce with popular Asian flavors for years. Those sauces are certainly tasty, but now some companies are raising the bar, brewing an array of artisan soy sauces laced with imaginative flavors, such as wasabi, lemongrass, cherry blossom, chipotle and even truffles.
The best sauces, especially those from Japan, are long on flavor — and fairly pricey at $10 to $30 a bottle. And the best source for top-quality flavored soy sauces is online.
Here’s the scoop on the finest flavored soy sauces out there — and the palate-blistering blunders that ought to carry warning labels. Sodium content refers to 1 tablespoon.
Haku Matsutake Mushroom Shoyu
The aroma and flavor of this light, ultra-refined sauce from Japan captures the delicate flavor of the prized matsutake mushroom dead-on. It has a mouthwatering aroma, smooth flavor and a long finish that bathes the palate like a fine wine. 940 mg sodium. $25.99 for 16.9 ounces online at waimports.com
Haku Sakura Cherry Blossom Shoyu
Easily one of the most unusually flavored of the bunch, this delicate pink liquid delivers a dash of umami along with the heady aroma and flavor of cherry blossoms. A few drops on rice makes for a memorable dish. 970 mg sodium. $23.99 for 12.68 ounces online at waimports.com
Fun Soy Chipotle Soy Sauce
Bold smoke and a big spice punch make this sauce, which is made in the U.K., the one to reach for when flavor is lacking. It hits all the notes — and a few more. It’s not alone in this product line: A few drops of the truffle version on eggs or whitefish adds instant wow, and the lemongrass soy sauce delivers big citrus flavor. 575 mg sodium. $9 for 8.5 ounces online at www. funsoy.com
Haku Smoked Shoyu
Just pour. This authentic, salty, smoky liquid is culinary magic. A tablespoon on whitefish adds crazy, smoky deliciousness. 970 mg sodium. $21.99 for 12.68 ounces online at waimports.com
Organic Cherry Wood Smoked Shoyu
The rich, slightly sweet smoke flavor transforms everything it touches — fish, chicken, veggies or rice. 920 mg sodium. $12.99 for 5.1 ounces at Whole Foods.
Ink Gourmet Garlic Sesame Soy Sauce
A pleasant hit of garlic and sesame makes this deep, rich sauce a great choice to dip or drizzle. The Thai chili is also
good for those who love spice. 620 mg sodium. $10.99 for 8 ounces at www.inksoysauce.com
Ajinomoto Spicy Shoyu Hot
Fresh jalapeño and cayenne make this bold, spicy sauce stand out. Cut the salt and it would get top marks. 1,170 mg sodium. $3.49 for 10 ounces at Marina Grocery.
Kikkoman Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood
This medium-dark sauce has a pleasing balance of salt to sweet and a pleasant winelike note. 750 mg sodium. $1.50 for 10 ounces at 99 Ranch Market.
Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood
The barely sweet flavor of this lightly toasted, understated sauce works well as a marinade for fish or a seasoning for white rice. 960 mg sodium. $4.58 at Walmart.
Tung Chun Shrimp Roe Soy Sauce
The mild shrimp flavor in this sauce is pleasant, but the salt level attacks the tongue, and the black dots are less than appetizing. 1,030 mg sodium. $3.59 for 17 ounces at Marina Market.